title: Myomectomy to conserve fertility: seven-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Myomectomy performed to preserve fertility resulted in approximately one in four women having a live birth, independent of surgical technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's Health Services, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit MI.
authors.forename: Roopina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sangha
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's Health Services, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit MI.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strickler
authors.affiliation: Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle WA.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dahlman
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Services, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit MI.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Havstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Services, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit MI.
authors.forename: Ganesa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wegienka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D063186:Uterine Myomectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: abdominal myomectomy; fibroids; pregnancy; robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy