Uterine fibroids
How uterine fibroid embolization works, who is evaluated for it, what the long-term studies report, and how patients driving in from Palmdale, Lancaster and the rest of the Antelope Valley can plan the consultation, the procedure day and recovery.
Editorially updated October 16, 2026. This educational article was prepared by SoCal Interventional using the cited primary and authoritative sources. It does not replace an individualized medical evaluation.
Quick answer: Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a non-surgical fibroid treatment in which an interventional radiologist blocks the small arteries that feed the fibroids, so they shrink over the following months. It is usually an outpatient procedure done through a tiny puncture in the wrist or groin under sedation, and most patients are back to normal activity within one to two weeks. SoCal Interventional does not have an office in the Antelope Valley; patients from Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Acton and Santa Clarita are evaluated and treated at our Van Nuys and Tarzana offices in the San Fernando Valley, roughly an hour down the 14 and the 5. This page explains what the trip involves, and what the published evidence says you can expect.
We are an interventional radiology practice; gynecologic care, including the pelvic exam and any biopsy, stays with your own gynecologist, and we coordinate the embolization with them.
Uterine fibroid embolization is a non-surgical fibroid treatment in which an interventional radiologist passes a thin catheter from the wrist or upper leg into the uterine arteries and injects sand-sized particles that cut off the fibroids’ blood supply. The fibroids then shrink and soften over months. It is usually outpatient, done under sedation, and takes under 90 minutes.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths of the uterine muscle. They are common: the U.S. Office on Women’s Health reports that about 20 to 80 percent of women develop fibroids by age 50, most often in their 40s and early 50s, and that most cause no symptoms. When they do, the usual problems are heavy or prolonged periods (sometimes with anemia), pelvic pressure or a visibly enlarged lower abdomen, frequent urination, pain with intercourse and low back pain.
In UFE, also called uterine artery embolization (UAE), the interventional radiologist passes a thin catheter from an artery at the wrist or the top of the leg into the uterine arteries and injects particles about the size of grains of sand. These block the blood supply to the fibroids, which then shrink and soften. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) describes the procedure as most often outpatient, performed under a sedative and local anesthesia. According to the Radiological Society of North America and American College of Radiology’s patient site RadiologyInfo.org, UFE is usually complete within 90 minutes, and many physicians perform it as an outpatient procedure; some patients stay overnight for pain control and go home the next day.
Improvement is gradual rather than immediate. ACOG’s patient guidance says it may take two to three months before you notice a change in fibroid symptoms, and that fibroids may keep shrinking for a year or more. RadiologyInfo.org notes that fibroids shrink, on average, to about half their original volume and are typically done shrinking by about six months.
ACOG lists UFE as an option for women whose fibroids cause symptoms and who want to keep their uterus, especially when medication has not helped. The Office on Women’s Health adds that the best candidates have heavy bleeding, pain, or bladder or rectal pressure, and do not want a hysterectomy or future children. UFE can treat many fibroids at once and is not affected by scar tissue from prior abdominal surgery.
Some situations rule UFE out or call for a different plan. RadiologyInfo.org lists pregnancy, fibroids that are not causing symptoms, a possibility of cancer, and active pelvic inflammation or infection as reasons not to proceed, and notes that a known severe allergy to iodine-based contrast may need pretreatment or a different option. Future pregnancy deserves its own conversation: ACOG lists problems with a future pregnancy among the risks of UFE, and because pregnancy data after UFE remain limited, myomectomy is usually discussed first for women who hope to conceive. Our UFE candidacy guide goes through these questions in more detail.
Before the procedure you will need imaging. RadiologyInfo.org describes an MRI or ultrasound of the uterus to confirm the diagnosis and map the size, number and location of the fibroids, a possible pregnancy test, and in some cases an endometrial biopsy when bleeding occurs between periods. If you already have a pelvic ultrasound or MRI from an Antelope Valley imaging center or hospital, bring the report and the disc or a portal link; it may save you a separate trip.
The long-term studies report that most women get meaningful, lasting relief and keep their uterus: about three in four had symptom relief in the study ACOG cites, and two-thirds of UAE patients in the 10-year EMMY trial avoided hysterectomy. A minority, roughly one in five to one in three over several years, later has another fibroid procedure.
The figures below come from the registry and randomized trials cited on our UFE treatment page. They are averages across many patients and were measured in different health systems; they describe what is typical, not what will happen to any one person.
| Source | What was studied | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| ACOG patient FAQ | Patient guidance summarizing the published evidence | In one study about 3 in 4 women had relief from fibroid symptoms, and about 1 in 5 later needed another procedure (a second UAE, myomectomy or hysterectomy). |
| EMMY trial (de Bruijn et al., Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016) | Dutch randomized trial, 177 women, UAE versus hysterectomy, 10-year follow-up | 28 of 81 women treated with UAE (35%) had a hysterectomy within 10 years, so about two-thirds avoided one. Quality of life improved in both groups and stayed stable; 78% (UAE) and 87% (hysterectomy) were satisfied or very satisfied. |
| FEMME trial (Manyonda et al., N Engl J Med 2020) | UK randomized trial, 254 women, UAE versus myomectomy, 2- and 4-year follow-up | Fibroid-related quality of life was higher after myomectomy at two years (84.6 vs 80.0 out of 100); by four years the difference was no longer statistically significant (90.2 vs 86.6). Repeat procedures by four years: 24% after UAE vs 13% after myomectomy. Median hospital stay 2 days after UAE vs 4 after myomectomy. |
| RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA/ACR) | Patient information summarizing published series | Nearly 90 percent of patients experience relief from their symptoms; infection needing antibiotics occurs in fewer than 1 in 1,000; menopause follows in about 1 to 5 percent, more often over age 45; about 2 to 3 percent pass fibroid tissue, which may require a D&C. |
Read together, the sources agree on two points: most women treated with UFE get meaningful, lasting relief and keep their uterus, and a minority, roughly one in five to one in three over several years, has another fibroid procedure later, a rate higher than after hysterectomy and somewhat higher than after myomectomy.
UFE from the Antelope Valley usually means three in-person trips to Van Nuys or Tarzana: a consultation to review symptoms and imaging, the procedure day (under sedation, so someone must drive you), and follow-up visits spread over the months while the fibroids shrink. Pre-procedure imaging can often be done closer to home.
Because the Antelope Valley is a drive away, it helps to know in advance how many trips are involved and what each one is for. A typical course of care has three in-person steps.
1. Consultation. An office visit in Van Nuys or Tarzana to review your symptoms, your imaging and your goals, and to decide with you whether UFE is the right fit or whether myomectomy, hysterectomy or medical management should be discussed with your gynecologist instead. Bring your imaging, your gynecologist’s notes if you have them, a list of current medications and supplements, and your insurance card. Tell the scheduler you are coming from the Antelope Valley so the appointment time can be set with the drive in mind.
2. Procedure day. UFE is performed under sedation, so you cannot drive yourself home. Plan for a companion to drive you, and for several hours at the facility: the procedure itself usually takes under 90 minutes, followed by a period lying flat and recovering before discharge. ACOG notes that some women go home the same day while others stay overnight; given the drive back up the 14, we will discuss with you in advance whether same-day discharge or an overnight stay closer to the office makes more sense for your situation.
3. Follow-up. A post-procedure check and, later, follow-up imaging to measure the fibroid response. Because symptom change usually becomes noticeable at two to three weeks and fibroids keep shrinking for months, follow-up is spread over time rather than requiring frequent trips.
From Palmdale or Lancaster, take the 14 south to the 5 south, then the 405 south for the Van Nuys office (15211 Vanowen St, Suite 305) or the 170 south to the 101 west for the Tarzana office (18370 Burbank Blvd, 5th Floor). Allow roughly an hour, and more at peak times.
From Palmdale, Lancaster, Quartz Hill, Littlerock or Acton, take the Antelope Valley Freeway (CA-14) south to Interstate 5 south. For the Van Nuys office at 15211 Vanowen St, Suite 305, Van Nuys, CA 91405, continue to the 405 south and exit at Sherman Way or Victory Boulevard; the office sits near Sepulveda and Vanowen. For the Tarzana office at 18370 Burbank Blvd, 5th Floor, Tarzana, CA 91356, take the 5 to the 170 south, then the 101 west toward Reseda Boulevard. Santa Clarita patients join the same route at the 5. Traffic on the 14 and the 5 varies widely by time of day, so allow extra time for a morning appointment or ask about afternoon slots.
Recovery after UFE is manageable from the Antelope Valley: cramping is worst in the first 24 hours and eases over several days, most patients return to desk work within about a week and to normal activity in one to two weeks, and the main difference distance makes is knowing exactly when to call rather than waiting for a visit.
The first days after UFE are the most uncomfortable. RadiologyInfo.org describes pelvic cramps that are most severe in the first 24 hours and improve over several days; ACOG says abdominal pain and cramps can last up to two weeks and that fibroid tissue may occasionally pass through the vagina. Low-grade fever, nausea and fatigue during the first several days, sometimes called post-embolization syndrome, are expected and are managed with a short course of medication. Most patients return to desk work within about a week and to normal activity within one to two weeks. Our week-by-week UFE recovery timeline walks through what each stage usually feels like.
Distance changes one thing: you should know exactly when to call rather than wait for a visit. ACOG’s list of reasons to contact your doctor after UAE includes pain that medication does not control, a fever above 101°F, nausea or vomiting, bleeding or pain at the catheter site, and a change in color or temperature of either leg. Call us at (310) 929-0026; a problem that needs to be seen urgently should be assessed at the nearest emergency department, and let the office know so we can coordinate with the treating team.
Most plans cover UFE as an established fibroid treatment when it is medically necessary, but many require prior authorization built on your imaging report and your gynecologist’s notes, so gathering those records before the consultation shortens the process. Out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan, your deductible and the facility.
UFE is an established, guideline-recognized fibroid treatment; whether and how a given plan covers it is decided by that plan. Many plans require prior authorization, which uses your imaging report and your gynecologist’s notes, so having those records before the consultation shortens the process. Our UFE cost and insurance page explains how coverage questions are handled; we do not publish prices here because out-of-pocket amounts depend entirely on your plan, your deductible and the facility.
SoCal Interventional does not have an Antelope Valley office. Uterine fibroid embolization is performed by an interventional radiologist, and Antelope Valley patients are evaluated and treated at our Van Nuys and Tarzana offices in the San Fernando Valley, reached by the 14 and the 5. A local gynecologist can remain your primary fibroid doctor; we coordinate the embolization with them.
Usually three in-person steps: a consultation, the procedure day, and follow-up. Pre-procedure imaging can often be done at an Antelope Valley imaging center if your plan allows, and follow-up is spread over months because fibroids keep shrinking for up to a year. Tell us at the first visit that you are traveling so visits can be grouped where it is medically appropriate.
No. UFE is performed under sedation, so a companion must drive you. ACOG notes that some women go home the same day and others stay overnight; for Antelope Valley patients we discuss in advance whether same-day discharge or an overnight stay makes more sense given the drive.
Cramping is worst in the first 24 hours and improves over several days, and most patients are back to normal activity within one to two weeks. Fibroid symptoms themselves usually start to change within two to three weeks to two to three months, and fibroids keep shrinking for six months to a year.
Regrowth of treated fibroids is uncommon, but some women later need another fibroid procedure. ACOG’s patient guidance puts that at about 1 in 5; in the 10-year EMMY trial, 35% of women treated with UAE eventually had a hysterectomy, so about two-thirds avoided one. Hysterectomy is the only treatment that rules out recurrence entirely.
Possibly, but it needs a careful discussion. ACOG lists problems with a future pregnancy among UFE’s risks, pregnancy data after UFE remain limited, and for women who hope to conceive, myomectomy is usually discussed first. We will tell you plainly if another option fits your goals better.
Call (310) 929-0026 or request a consultation. Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita patients are seen in Van Nuys and Tarzana; Orange County patients are seen at our Fountain Valley office, 10900 Warner Ave, Suite 101A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708. Bring your pelvic ultrasound or MRI report, your gynecologist’s notes, your medication list and your insurance card, and mention that you are traveling from the Antelope Valley so your visits can be planned around the drive.
Medical disclaimer: This article provides general education for patients considering uterine fibroid embolization and cannot determine whether UFE is appropriate for any individual. The figures above are averages from registries and randomized trials conducted in different health systems; your own candidacy, likely benefit, risks and alternatives require an in-person evaluation and coordination with your gynecologist.
Explore more: Read the complete uterine fibroid embolization guide, UFE vs hysterectomy recovery, the UFE candidacy guide, and our Medical Editorial Policy.
Medical content reviewed by Nathanael Sabbah, MD, interventional radiologist. Last reviewed: October 2026.