Q. Where are fibroids located in the uterus?

Answer: It depends. Fibroids have different names based on their location on your uterus.You can have fibroids on the inside, on the outside, or in the wall of your uterus.

The names of fibroids based on their locations are: subserosal (which grow in the outer wall of the uterus), intramural (which develop in the muscular layers of the uterine wall) and submucosal (which protrude into the uterine cavity).

You may also hear the terms anteverted uterus or retroverted uterus. These terms refer to the direction in which the top of the uterus is pointing. Anteverted uterus means that the top points toward your front, toward the skin on your abdomen. Anteverted is the most common and acceptable position of the uterus.

Retroverted uterus means that the top is pointed towards your back or backbone. Retroverted uterus is also common and acceptable.

Your doctor may call your fibroids fibroid tumors, leiomyomas, (pronounced, leye-oh-meye-OH-muh) or myomas. But fibroids are not cancerous. You do not need to do anything about them unless they are causing problems.