Myomectomy to conserve fertility: seven-year follow-up

To observe the occurrence of pregnancy in women undergoing minimally invasive and open myomectomy for symptoms attributed to uterine fibroids and who desire future pregnancy.

We performed a retrospective chart review of women who had undergone myomectomy at least two years previously within the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, MI. We reviewed the subsequent fertility outcomes according to the fertility goals identified by each woman.

During the seven-year observation window, 310 women underwent myomectomy and 124 (40%) of these women desired pregnancy. Forty-nine women desiring pregnancy (40%) conceived, and 30 (61% of those who conceived) delivered a viable infant from their first pregnancy. In addition, two women had a live birth after a miscarriage, and one had a live birth after an ectopic pregnancy. Five women had a second live-born baby. There were no differences in the occurrence of pregnancy or pregnancy outcome according to surgical approach, patient age or race, number of uterine incisions, or whether the endometrial cavity was entered. In addition, five of 186 women who did not have a fertility goal (3%) conceived, and one woman delivered two babies.

Myomectomy performed to preserve fertility resulted in approximately one in four women having a live birth, independent of surgical technique.