[The volumetric changes of uterine myomas in pregnancy]

Thirty-six pregnant women with a single uterine myoma were submitted to US at 2 and 4 weeks' intervals. The first US examination was made in 12 patients before pregnancy and in the other 24 patients between 9 and 12 weeks' gestation. The changes in the volume of myomas were analyzed in different periods of pregnancy. Thirty-four women underwent US in puerperium, four weeks after delivery: the myomas were smaller, possibly back to their initial volume. In 11 patients (31.6%), the myomas grew bigger during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester. A statistically significant change in volume was observed between the first and the third trimester of pregnancy (p < 0.001). When investigating myoma growth in greater detail in the first trimester, we observed that the greatest increase in myoma volume occurred before the 10th gestational week. Three different categories of myoma volume were considered (p < 100 cc, 100-200 cc, > 200 cc) and related to myoma growth in each period. No relationship was observed between myoma volume and myoma growth.