Menopause and Fibroid-Shrinking Medicine

While uterine fibroids do not usually cause health problems, some women experience adverse symptoms like heavy menstrual bleeding and pain. One treatment option involves medicine that mimics the effects of menopause.

Menopause

Menopause occurs when a woman's body produces lower levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone and her ovaries no longer produce eggs. This leads to the end of her menstruation cycle, states the National Institutes of Health.

Uterine Fibroids

According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, uterine fibroids are the most common pelvic growth in women and are non-cancerous.

Significance

Most fibroids develop when a woman is between the ages of 30 and 40. Menopause usually occurs when a woman is between 45 and 55.

Medicine

According to the Mayo Clinic, medications called gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can shrink fibroids. It causes the estrogen and progesterone levels in your body to drop and stops your menstruation, reactions that parallel menopause.

Considerations

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can cause side effects including vaginal dryness and bone loss. Most women take this medicine for only six months. Once you stop taking it, your fibroids will grow back to the size they were before treatment.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Uterine Fibroids
• American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Uterine Fibroids
• MedlinePlus: Menopause