A benign "tumor" of the muscular wall of the uterus (the myometrium). More common with increasing age, but can occur in women in their twenties. Can be single or multiple, and can be located on the outside of the uterus (a subserous fibroid), within the wall of the uterus (an intramural fibroid), or protruding into the cavity of the uterus (a submucous fibroid. The closer it is (or they are) to the endometrial cavity, the more likely it is that a fibroid will disturb reproduction (either as miscarriages or sometimes as infertility) and disturb menstrual bleeding. Surgery for removal of a fibroid, or myoma, is called a myomectomy.

A fibroid (or myoma) that grows from the wall of the uterus inwards to distort the endometrial cavity. Can be a cause of menorrhagia (heavy periods), intermenstrual bleeding, premenstrual spotting, infertility and miscarriage.

A fibroid (or myoma) that grows from the outside surface of the uterus, into the cavity of the abdomen, or peritoneal cavity. The least likely of any sort of fibroid to affect reproduction, but can cause symptoms of pressure or pain should it twist or degenerate suddenly.

An abnormal condition of the uterus in which glands from the endometrium grow into the muscle of the wall of the uterus (the myometrium), causing local or general enlargement of the uterus, pain with periods, and perhaps heavier periods. A localised area of adenomyosis is called an adenomyoma and can be hard to distinguish from a fibroid on transvaginal ultrasound, although an increase in the serum CA 125 antigen level can point to the correct diagnosis. Unlike a fibroid it is not easily removed at surgery, because it's not clearly separable from surrounding tissue. There's no satisfactory long term treatment for adenomyosis: hysterectomy may be chosen if symptoms are bad enough. GnRH-agonists give just temporary relief.

Painful menstruation. Can be primary, present in teenagers, generally in spasms around the start of the period; or it can be secondary, developing as a woman gets older, and then typically lasting more than a day or so into the period, with prolonged aching as well as spasms. Primary dysmenorrhea might have no medical importance beyond the suffering the pain causes, and typically gets better as a woman reaches her 20s; severe or persistent cases, however, warrant investigation. Secondary dysmenorrhea can signify, for example, endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis or peritubal adhesions.

An examination of the endometrial cavity of the uterus by a thin fiberoptic instrument, similar to the instrument used for laparoscopy. Hysteroscopy can be done in the office, with or without sedation, to make a diagnosis, or in the operating room under general anesthesia, often in association with laparoscopy or to carry out a hysteroscopic operation, such as removal of an endometrial polyp, submucous fibroid or uterine septum.

An operation to remove a myoma, or fibroid. A myomectomy for a submucous fibroid is often possible at hysteroscopy; a myomectomy for an intramural fibroid (located within the wall of the uterus), usually requires an open operation, or laparotomy; a myomectomy for a subserous fibroid can be possible at laparoscopy.

Heavy but generally regular bleeding caused either by pathology in the uterus, such as fibroids, or by a generalised bleeding disorder, such as thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count), von Willebrand's disease (can run in families), or treatment with anticoagulant drugs. The formal term for it is menorrhagia.

A form of light intermenstrual bleeding consistently timed over a few days to a week before the period starts properly, although it might not happen every month. About 80 percent of the time it signals the presence of endometriosis, making it the most predictive symptom for this condition; about 10 percent of the time it means an abnormality of the uterus such as fibroids, an endometrial polyp or endometritis; the remaining 10 percent of the time there is no explanation found. It has nothing to do with premenstrual tension, which if present is a coincidence.

Infertility that is not 'absolute', or 'complete infertility' -- that is, there is a chance of pregnancy: it is not sterility (these last 3 terms are synonyms) -- but the chance of getting pregnant each month (fecundability or monthly fertility) is reduced. More or less definite causes can include oligospermia, polycystic ovary syndrome and other causes of oligomenorrhea, endometriosis, peritubal adhesions, fibroids (especially submucous fibroids) and increased age, especially of the woman. Synonymous with relative infertility.