Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Uterine fibroids are benign masses that grow in the uterus for unclear
reasons. Uterine fibroids are commonly called by the shorter name, "fibroids."
The medical term for a fibroid is leiomyoma, which refers to a proliferation or
abnormal growth of smooth muscle tissue. Uterine fibroids arise from the tissue
in the muscle layer of the wall of the uterus, called the myometrium. They are
not cancerous.
The reason why some women develop fibroids is not yet understood. Family
history may play a role, since there is often a history of fibroids developing
in women of the same family. For poorly understood reasons, fibroids are more
common in women of color (a two to three fold increased risk) than in Caucasian women.
In addition, women who are overweight have an increased risk of fibroids. Most
women with fibroids probably go through life not even knowing they have them,
because fibroids are often found incidentally during diagnostic or therapeutic
procedures.
Fibroids are common and may occur to some degree in up to 50% of women.
What are the symptoms of uterine fibroids?
Most women with uterine fibroids have no symptoms.
However, fibroids can cause a number of symptoms depending on their size,
location within the uterus, and how close they are to adjacent pelvic organs.
Large fibroids can cause:
pressure,
pelvic pain,
pressure on the bladder with
frequent or even obstructed urination, and
pressure on the rectum with pain
during defecation.
Abnormal uterine bleeding is
the most common symptom of a fibroid. If the tumors are near
the uterine lining, or
interfere with the blood flow to the lining, they can cause heavy periods,
painful periods, prolonged periods or spotting between menses. Uterine fibroids that are deteriorating can sometimes cause
severe, localized pain.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy located outside the inner lining of the uterus. The majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the Fallopian tube. Symptoms include abdominal pain, amenorrhea, and vaginal bleeding. Treatment options include observation, medication, or surgery.
Though uterine cancer's cause is unknown, there are many factors that will put a woman at risk, including: over age 50, endometrial hyperplasia, using hormone replacement therapy, obesity, using tamoxifen, being Caucasian, having colorectal cancer. Symptoms of cancer of the uterus (endometrial cancer) include abnormal vaginal bleeding, painful urination, painful intercourse, and pelvic pain. Treatment depends on staging and may include radiation therapy or hormone therapy.
A miscarriage is any pregnancy that ends spontaneously before the fetus can survive. Miscarriage usually occurs before the 13th week of pregnancy. The cause of a miscarriage cannot always be determined. The most common causes of a miscarriage in the first trimester are collagen vascular disease (lupus), hormonal problems, diabetes, chromosomal abnormalities, and congenital abnormalities of the uterus.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that originate in the uterus and are usually round or semi-round in shape. The most common symptom of a uterine fibroid is abnormal vaginal bleeding. Other symptoms include pressure, pelvic pain, pressure on the bladder, or pain during a bowel movement. Treatment options vary from surgery to medication.
Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude). Treatment of polycythemia depends on the cause.
Menstruation (menstrual cycle) is also referred to as a "period." When a woman menstruates, the lining of the uterus is shed. This shedding of the uterine linking is the menstrual blood flow. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. There can be problems with a woman's period, including heavy bleeding, pain, or skipped periods. Causes of these problems may be amenorrhea (lack fo a period), menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea), or abnormal vaginal or uterine bleeding. There are a variety of situations in which a girl or woman should see a doctor about her menstrual cycle.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
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