When a woman has fibroids that cause painful or uncomfortable symptoms, she may undergo myomectomy, a procedure to surgically remove them.

Fibroids are non-cancerous tumors that grow from the muscle tissue of the uterus. Many women with fibroids don’t experience symptoms and are unaware that they have these small, benign tumors. Others experience unpleasant symptoms, such as painful menstrual periods, heavier-than-usual blood flow during menstrual periods, and pelvic pain, to name a few.

When fibroid symptoms interfere with a woman’s quality of life, she may seek surgery—radiofrequency ablation, uterine artery embolization, hysterectomy, or myomectomy—to treat the condition. While many of these procedures are effective treatments for fibroids, they can affect a woman’s fertility. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA, also known as Acessa), for instance, may increase the risk of problems during vaginal delivery, and uterine artery embolization can increased risk for miscarriage and other problems during pregnancy. During a hysterectomy, doctors remove the entire uterus, meaning women who undergo this procedure can no longer become pregnant.

Myomectomy, however, typically preserves a woman’s fertility. In this procedure, doctors surgically remove individual fibroids from uterine muscle tissue while leaving the uterus in place. Many women who hope to become pregnant, as well as those who want to retain their uterus, are more likely to choose myomectomy over hysterectomy or other treatment options.

Myomectomy is a surgical procedure used to remove fibroids from the uterine muscle without removing the uterus itself. Women who have a myomectomy are able to continue to have menstrual periods and become pregnant after the procedure. The procedure is reserved for women with moderate-to-severe pain, discomfort, and/or heavy bleeding caused by their fibroids.

Myomectomy is an alternative to hysterectomy, another surgical procedure used to treat fibroid pain and discomfort. Rather than removing fibroids from uterine tissue, however, hysterectomy removes the entire uterus, thereby eliminating the site where fibroids may grow. Because women who have a hysterectomy can no longer have their menstrual periods or become pregnant, women who wish to have children after treatment may opt for a myomectomy.

Myomectomy is a treatment for fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors that develop in the muscle walls of the uterus.

Some fibroids are tiny, and they may not cause symptoms. Others are large—about the size of a person’s fist—and can cause discomfort. Symptomatic fibroids may cause discomfort because they put pressure on the intestines and bladder, or they may cause painful periods and/or heavy bleeding.

Removing fibroids should help to alleviate the symptoms of pain, pressure, and heavy blood flow. Myomectomy allows doctors to remove symptomatic fibroids while sparing the uterus, so that a woman may continue to have menstrual periods and have the option of becoming pregnant.

There are risks associated with any surgery. The risks of myomectomy include:

• Hemorrhage or blood loss
• Infection at the surgical site
• Weakened uterine walls, which may affect future pregnancies (a Cesarean section may be required, rather than vaginal childbirth)
• Damage to neighboring body parts, such as the bladder or intestines
• Blood clots
• Negative reaction to anesthesia
• Allergic reaction to medication
• The development of scar tissue in the affected area
• Possible infertility, caused by the presence of scar tissue or other complications
• The formation of new fibroids

This article was medically reviewed by Terri Huynh, MD.