Fertility and fibroids are a tough combo. Today, Bravo TV star Kandi Buress has three children. But just a few years ago, she came forward, talking about how fibroids affected her fertility. In 2015, the then 38-year-old had been trying for two years, unsuccessfully, to have a second child. When she and husband Todd Tucker finally decided to turn to IVF for help conceiving, the couple discovered what was at the heart of their fertility problem: Kandi had a uterine fibroid. 
At the time, Kandi was surprised. (Even though up to 80% of black women will develop fibroids in their lifetime.) She told reporters, "We realized I had a fibroid—a big one—inside the cavity of the uterus where your baby would implant.” Immediately, she worried about ever having another child.
Like Kandi, many women with uterine fibroids experience difficulties becoming pregnant. In fact, research shows that fibroids are involved in 10% of female infertility cases. And, for up to 3% of women, fibroids are the only known cause of that infertility.
In Kandi's case, her story had a happy ending. She has since has two more children. And she chose to share her story with fans, in order to give other women hope. Which is why, today, she's our #WCW.
She said, “Luckily for us, it was a blessing, and we actually had success with the first IVF treatment. It takes a couple of months for you to go through the whole process of injections, retrieving the eggs and all of that stuff, then allowing them to put them back in and praying that they take. One of our eggs took.”
Of course, some women cannot conceive easily with fibroids. For that reason, they must treat the tumors before getting pregnant. Now, many fibroid suffers think surgery is the only way to treat fibroids and preserve fertility. But that's not actually true! In our Houston Fibroid office, we offer a non-surgical, minimally invasive treatment known as Uterine Fibroid Embolization. After UFE, your fibroids shrink permanently. And pregnancy is still possible for many women!
In fact, many reports and studies show women getting pregnant after UFE. These studies also show that fertility rates and miscarriage rates in UFE patients are no different than patients of the same age who don't treat their fibroids. Still, if you want to get pregnant, you may prefer a myomectomy. (This is a surgical fibroid removal). That's because, if you are healthy enough to get through surgery, some studies suggest you'll have slightly less pregnancy complications than you would after UFE.
The important thing to remember in all this is that a fibroid diagnosis does not mean the end of your dream to carry a child. Like Kandi Buress and many other women, your path to fertility can be successful. It's simply a question of knowing your options and making the informed decision that's best for your body and your family. So make an appointment with our specialists today. We can review your options and help you complete your family!
Sources: Seminars in Reproductive Medicine
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