Can uterine fibroids cause permanent damage?

Up to 80% of women have fibroids by the time they reach age 40. Fibroids can prevent a pregnancy from taking hold and can cause enough bleeding to trigger severe blood loss and anemia. While most are less than a few centimeters in diameter, some can grow as large as a grapefruit and can elbow organs in the abdomen, causing urinary frequency and changes in bowel habits.

Uterine fibroids themselves may be permanent if women don't undergo treatment, but in those cases, they aren't dangerous and cause no real damage. Women whose uterine fibroids are causing severe symptoms usually undergo treatment, which gets rid of the fibroids and generally prevents any permanent damage. Sometimes, though, the treatment itself may cause permanent damage: The only guaranteed cure for uterine fibroids is hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the entire uterus. After hysterectomy, women are no longer able to have children.