Christina Simon is working hard to learn the ins and outs of tennis. For more than two years, she played through the pain of uterine fibroids.
She's not alone. As many as 40 percent of all women have them.
Fibroids are noncancerous masses. They can be very tiny or, like Christina's, as big as a baby's head.
"The doctor told me I was beginning to look pregnant," she said.
The only option used to a hysterectomy. But then Christina learned there's a treatment that doesn't involve major surgery.
Dr. Marc Friedman performs uterine fibroid embolization or UFE.
"One of the beauties of this procedure is all the fibroids in the uterus are treated," said Dr. Friedman.
A catheter is inserted in an artery in the groin. Using real-time imaging, the physician guides the catheter through the artery and releases tiny particles -- the size of grains of sand -- to block blood flow to the fibroids.
"The fibroids die and eventually shrink," said Dr. Friedman.
Eighty-five to 90 percent of women who undergo a UFE say it significantly improves symptoms. Christina's shrunk by half.
Common symptoms of fibroids include painful periods, abdominal swelling and anemia. But some women have no symptoms. No one knows what causes fibroids, but we do know that African American women are at a greater risk.
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