Complications of uterine leiomyomas in pregnancy

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas are found in approximately 2% of pregnant women. One of ten women with myomas will have complications related to myomas during pregnancy. The major complication is the syndrome of painful myomas of pregnancy, characterized by second- and early third-trimester pain and occasionally bleeding. In our population, fever, rebound tenderness, and elevated white blood cell count were not associated with pain. Short courses of ibuprofen were successful in controlling pain in these women. Other complications of myomas in pregnancy included preterm premature rupture of the membranes, malpresentation, increased cesarean delivery rate, and postpartum endomyometritis.