The second round getting bigger and bigger made Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Anh and her husband in Phu Tho secretly happy because they thought they were about to welcome a new member. However, the joy quickly turned into worry when the pregnancy test strip did not show two lines and the examination results revealed a large uterine fibroid tumor.
Ms. Mai Anh said that she and her husband do not have contraception plans. Some time ago, when she noticed that her bust and waist were both larger than normal, both believed that she was pregnant. However, after many pregnancy tests without positive results, while no morning sickness signs appeared like the previous pregnancy, she began to feel uneasy and decided to go to Hanoi for a health check-up.
Examination results showed that she had a tumor about 10cm in diameter located in the lower abdomen. Doctors determined that the tumor originated from the uterine muscle and diagnosed and monitored a large uterine fibroid.
Notably, the tumor has begun to compress the bladder, causing kidney water retention and increasing the risk of affecting urinary function if not intervened in time.
After consultation, doctors prescribed surgery to remove the tumor. The specimen was then sent for pathology and determined to be a benign smooth muscle tumor. After two days of surgery, Ms. Mai Anh's health recovered well and gradually returned to normal activities.
According to BSKI Dang Van Ha, Center for Reproductive Support, An Viet General Hospital, uterine fibroids are a fairly common benign gynecological disease in women. However, the disease often progresses silently, with few initial manifestations, so many people do not detect it early, even confusing it with pregnancy due to abnormally large abdomen.
When the tumor grows large, patients may experience many complications such as menorrhagia, anemia, pelvic pain, abnormal abdominal enlargement or compression of nearby organs. Large tumors can compress the bladder, urethra or intestines, leading to difficulty urinating, frequent urination, urinary tract infections, prolonged constipation, and even affecting kidney function.
Doctors recommend that women should have regular gynecological examinations to detect early abnormalities, including uterine fibroids. When signs such as rapid abdominal growth, prolonged abdominal pain or a heavy feeling in the lower abdomen appear, they need to go to a medical facility for examination and timely treatment to limit dangerous complications.
