Change of uterine leiomyoma size during pregnancy and the influencing factors: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes of uterine leiomyoma size during pregnancy and determine the factors influencing it. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted from June 2016 to June 2018. Women with pregnancies complicated by leiomyoma were recruited. Ultrasound examinations were conducted to measure the size of leiomyoma during 6-7, 11-14, 22-24, 28-34 weeks of pregnancy and before delivery. The clinical characteristics and delivery details of the pregnant women were collected. Changes in leiomyoma size during different gestation periods and the influencing factors were analyzed. RESULTS: Leiomyoma size commonly increased before 22-24 weeks of pregnancy and the fastest growth occurred before 11-14 weeks. From 22-24 weeks to the date of delivery, the size of leiomyoma remained unchanged. The initial size of the leiomyoma showed negative correlation with the changes in leiomyoma diameters during pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy body mass index, fetus number, leiomyoma location, and parity were positively correlated with the size changes in leiomyoma from 22-24 to 28-34 weeks of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Before 22-24 weeks of pregnancy, the size of the leiomyoma was gestation-dependent, which increases with gestational weeks. The fastest growth rate was before 11-14 weeks. The growth of leiomyoma is affected by multiple factors, and different factors can play different roles during different periods of the pregnancy.

Improved Fertility Following Enucleation of Intramural Myomas in Infertile Women.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between intramural myomas and fertility remains unclear. The main debate rests on whether cavity-distorting intramural myomas (CDMs) adversely affect fertility more than non-CDMs. We aimed to compare the effects of enucleating non-CDMs and CDMs on fertility improvement in females with unexplained infertility. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 83 women undergoing myomectomy for unexplained infertility with intramural myomas between June 2008 and November 2012 and classified them into non-CDMs group (n = 45) and CDMs group (n = 38). We then compared postoperative infertility rates, spontaneous pregnancy rates, pregnancy outcomes, live birth rates, and obstetric complications. For continuous variables, we calculated the mean ± standard deviation, median and interquartile range, and analyzed the data using Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. For categorical variables, the Pearson's Chi-square test, the continuity correction test, and Fisher's exact test were used. RESULTS: Patients' demographics and myoma characteristics were comparable between the two groups. The overall spontaneous pregnancy rate increased from 0% to 68.42% following myomectomy. The postoperative infertility rate was significantly higher in the non-CDMs group than that in the CDMs group (50.00% vs. 23.53%, t = 5.579, P = 0.018), whereas the postoperative spontaneous pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the non-CDMs group than that in the CDMs group (47.62% vs. 70.59%, t = 4.067, P = 0.044). Compared with the enucleation of non-CDM, the enucleation of CDM patients was a protective factor for the fertility restoration (risk ratio [RR] = 3.717, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.284-10.753, P = 0.015), although postoperative fertility restoration declined with age (RR = 1.141, 95% CI: 1.005-1.295, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Intramural myomas are associated with impaired fertility. Women experiencing unexplained infertility, and possessing intramural myomas, have a better chance of conception following myomectomy, and these benefits are more obvious for younger patients and patients with CDM.

Associations between uterine fibroids and obstetric outcomes in twin pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential associations between the presence of fibroids and obstetric outcomes in twin pregnancies. METHODS: A prospective cohort study compared obstetric outcomes between individuals with twin pregnancies who did and did not have fibroids. Patients were considered for inclusion if they underwent first-trimester ultrasonography examination, and went on to deliver at the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital between September 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014. Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of fibroids and baseline demographics, fibroid characteristics, and obstetric outcomes were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: In total, 153 patients with twin pregnancies were recruited; 51 had fibroids and 102 did not. Patients in the fibroid group demonstrated a higher maternal age (P<0.001), higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (P=0.01), and higher rate of assisted reproductive technology use (P=0.04). The presence of fibroids was not associated with any change in obstetric outcomes, and obstetric outcomes were unaffected by the number, size, location, and type of fibroids (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Fibroids were not a risk factor for any adverse obstetric outcomes among patients with twin pregnancies.

Pregnancy outcomes following different surgical approaches of myomectomy.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the feasibility, reliability, safety and pregnancy outcomes following transabdominal myomectomy (TAM) and laparoscopic myomectomy (LM) at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included two parts: between January 2005 and December 2010, data on 157 patients were retrospectively collected; and between January 2011 and January 2013, 111 patients were prospectively collected. All of them had fertility requirements following myomectomy. Patients' demographics, leiomyomas' characteristics, perioperative data regarding surgical complications, relapses, subsequent pregnancy outcomes and obstetric characteristics were collected. RESULTS: The patients' demographics and leiomyoma characteristics were comparable in the TAM and LM groups (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the average drop in hemoglobin between the two groups (P = 0.887), while the postoperative ileus duration, postoperative ambulation duration and dose of analgesia were significantly higher in the TAM group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the overall relapse and subsequent cumulative pregnancy rates and obstetric complications between the two groups. The contraception interval after myomectomy was significantly longer (P = 0.038) after TAM, however the cesarean section rate only due to myomectomy history was higher (P = 0.034) after TAM than after LM. Four patients in the LM group were identified as having uterine scar defective repair on the site of the previous myomectomy scar during elective cesarean section, while this was not identified in any patient in the TAM group. CONCLUSION: LM is a feasible treatment for women who have fertility requirements but suffer from leiomyoma. Although LM does not increase the rate of uterine rupture in the subsequent pregnancy, it is advisable for surgeons to limit the use of electrosurgery.

[Analysis of the risk factors for postoperative residue, relapse following myomectomy].

OBJECTIVE: To elaborate the risk factors for leiomyoma residue and relapse after different approaches of myomectomy. METHODS: From Jan. 2005 to Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011 to Jan. 2013, 769 patients underwent myomectomy were recruited in Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. The patients demographic, leiomyoma characteristics, preoperative gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) therapy, surgical approach, pathological type, follow-up information were collected. RESULTS: Leiomyoma number was the risk factor of postoperative residue and relapse, with the leiomyoma number increased one, the risk of residue and relapse increase 1.085 times (OR = 1.085, 95% CI: 1.019-1.154, P = 0.010), 1.043 times (RR = 1.043, 95% CI: 1.014-1.073, P = 0.003) respectively. Leiomyoma type (intramural leiomyoma) was the risk factor of relapse (RR = 1.665, 95% CI: 1.029-2.693, P = 0.038). Age was not the risk factor for postoperative residue rate (P = 0.828) and relapse rate (P = 0.193). GnRH- a didn't increase the postoperative residue and relapse rate (P = 0.542, 0.133). The postoperative residue rate (P = 0.764), relapse rate (P = 0.279) between transabdominal and laparoscopic myomectomy groups had no significant difference. Bizarre leiomyoma (RR = 5.678, 95% CI: 1.373-23.490, P = 0.017) and celluar leiomyoma (RR = 2.201, 95% CI: 1.466-3.303, P < 0.01) were the risk factors for postoperative relapse rate. CONCLUSIONS: Leiomyoma number, leiomyoma type (intramural leiomyoma) are the main risk factors for postoperative relapse. Pretreatment of GnRH-a and laparoscopic approach wouldn't increase the rate of residue and relapse. Bizarre leiomyoma and cellular leiomyoma have a higher relapse rate than common leiomyoma.