Chances are, you know someone who has battled uterine fibroids – abnormal, benign growths within the muscles of the uterus that can cause painful, heavy menstrual bleeding, constipation and lower back pain. After all, at least 25 percent of women in the U.S. between the ages of 25 and 50 suffer fibroids, with the percentage almost doubling among African American women, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Up until a few decades ago, women with fibroids faced with only one treatment option – a hysterectomy. But thanks to further research and advanced technology, less radical options are now available, including the noninvasive, uterus-saving uterine artery embolization. Here is a closer look at that procedure, as well as more info on fighting fibroids.

Get rid of the fibroids: Treating fibroids with uterine artery embolization| Sheknows.com

I was diagnosed with multiple fibroids, 2 of which are the width of 4 fingers. I was told that my uterus is the size of an 18 week pregnancy. It truly does feel like I'm pregnant. I can't suck in my stomach nor zip up any pants. I went from a size 10 Canadian to a size 12 in pants, but I'm finding elasticized pants more comfortable (yuck). My periods have gone from 3 days long to 7 days long with 1 1/2 days of heavy bleeding. On the heavy bleeding days I have to change super sized tampons every 2 hours. I only get mild cramping. My GP believes a hysterectomy is the only way to go. He's sending me to a Gyno so I can maybe get more options. I'm 52 years old, so surely I'll be going thru menopause within the next couple of years. I don't know whether I should take the "wait and see" approach; perhaps try "Depo Provera" and see if that might shrink the fibroids, or try embolization. I refuse to go thru a hysterectomy unless it's absolutely the only option. I'd love to hear other women's stories re their fibroids and what they did or plan or doing to treat them.