Fibroids are benign (non-cancerous) growths in the womb of women that arises from the muscles of the uterus. While fibroids are mostly asymptomatic, they can grow and cause heavy bleeding and cramps during periods. Sometimes they grow to large sizes and cause a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, painful intercourse, urinary frequency and urgency. Some fibroids interfere with pregnancy. Symptoms of Fibroids Many women do not realize that they have fibroids as it is hardly causes any change in its initial phase. Noticeable symptoms may include the following: Painful and heavy periods: This might lead to low iron level and anemia. Bloating & swelling of the abdomen Problems of urination: Sometimes, fibroids might press on the bladder that lies in front of the womb causing pain during urination , urgency and increased frequency Problems related to pregnancy: In most cases, fibroids do not cause problems during pregnancy. Sometimes, the presence of fibroids increases the chance of miscarriage, premature labour or interfere with position of the baby. It can also be a cause for infertility. Treatment Options for Fibroids . As long as fibroids do not cause any problem in the daily activities of a person, one should not bother much about it. After menopause, fibroids shrink and hence, many women choose not to go for surgical fibroid removal if there are no symptoms. Medication may be given to control symptoms, shrink the fibroid or remove it by radio-frequency ablation. Another procedure is uterine artery embolization where the blood supply to the fibroid is cut, which prevents the fibroid from growing and possibly shrink them. However, there are cases where the removal of fibroid becomes necessary and in such cases, surgical methods can be adopted. If a woman is young and wants to conceive, myomectomy is advised, where only the fibroids are removed. This can be done by laparoscopy or by open method. In some cases the doctor may advise a hysterectomy, which can be done by laparoscopic or conventional method.