Q. I have a uterine fibroid tumor that is a little smaller than a tennis ball. Uterine fibroids are benign muscle tumors that grow within or on the uterus. A woman who has fibroids may have no symptoms.
Some gynecologists recommend hysterectomy to remove any fibroids.
But because fibroids don't become malignant, I think surgery is an extreme measure. I don't recommend it unless the fibroids are causing pain or excessive bleeding. This year, a study in the Journal of Natural Products found that blue cohosh could cause birth defects in rat embryos, including nerve damage, twisted tails, and poor or absent eye development. And last year, in the Journal of Pediatrics , a Seattle pediatrician reported on the newborn of a woman who had taken blue cohosh while pregnant. The baby had a heart attack associated with congestive heart failure and shock, and remained critically ill for several weeks before recovering.