The association between childbirth, breastfeeding, and uterine fibroids: an observational study.
Sci Rep
; 9(1): 10117, 2019 07 12.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31300699
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of childbirth and breastfeeding on uterine fibroids and to identify the factors associated with size variations. This was a monocenter observational study carried on women with a sonographic diagnosis of uterine fibroids from January 2007 to December 2016, with no indication for immediate treatment, and who became pregnant within one year from diagnosis. All patients were re-evaluated six months after delivery. Fibroid diameters were compared between pre-pregnancy period, first, second, third trimester and post-delivery. The rate of "regressed" (growth of diameter <-40%), "unchanged" (growth of diameter between -40% and +40%) or "increased" (growth of diameter >+40%) fibroids at the post-delivery evaluation with respect to the pre-pregnancy state was calculated. One-hundred fifty-seven women were included in the final analysis. At the post-delivery ultrasound, a significant reduction of the fibroid diameter with respect to all previous examinations was observed, and there was no evidence of 67 (37.2%) fibroids. Ongoing breastfeeding was positively associated with an "unchanged" or "regressed" fibroid diameter (adOR 3.23, 95%CI 1.35-7.70, p < 0.01). Smaller pre-gravidic fibroids were more likely to return to pre-pregnancy dimensions or to regress, with a cut-off of 32 mm for lactating women and of 26 mm for non-lactating women. In conclusion, fibroids seem to return to pre-pregnancy dimensions or to regress in the post-partum period. This process may be sustained by uterine involution and hormonal variations, with an additional role of breastfeeding.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Lactação
/
Parto
/
Leiomioma
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2019
Tipo de documento:
Article