Tea Time with Jo | Case study on Pelvic Hydrotherapy for Fibroids

Uterine Myomoas, also known as Fibroids, are a condition that affects women of all backgrounds, with a prevalence as high has 90% in certain groups. 

The following is a chronological trajectory of the fibroids in a 39y/o white female who decided to use Pelvic Hydrotherapy (Vaginal Steams) upon my recommendation, as a method of care while she awaited a surgical procedure known as a Myomectomy, to have the fibroids removed. 

The woman in question learned of her fibroids when she was trying to conceive for approximately 24 months without success. She went to her OB-GYN for an ultrasound and that is where at least 7 fibroids were discovered. Below, are the detailed results from the initial ultrasound. 

Ultrasound on 10.01.2025:

MULTIPLE FIBROIDS - 7 LARGEST

1.  ANT INTRAMURAL 1.8 X 1.0 X 1.9CM
2. POSTERIOR INTRAMURAL 2.0 X 1.9 X 2.1CM
3. FUNDAL INTRAMURAL.7 X.9 X 1.2CM
4. SUBSEROSAL 1.2 X 1.2 X 1.6CM
5. SUBSEROSAL LEFT 3.7 X 3.7 X 3.5CM
6. POSTERIOR SUBSEROSALL 5.2 X 4.5 X 5.8CM
7. POSTERIOR SUBEROSAL 4.0 X 4.5 X 4.0CM

FIBROIDS 6 AND 7 HARD TO SEE CLEAR BOARDERS, SEEN VAGINALLY AND TRANSABDOMINALLY

After receiving this news, the woman and her OB-GYN decided to schedule a follow-up ultrasound with the intention to pursue a Myomectomy. While waiting on this follow-up appointment, she begins Pelvic Hydrotherapy steams at home, in October of 2025. 

I gave her the indication to practice Pelvic Hydrotherapy according to the following schedule:

-For 3 consecutive days once her menstruation ends

-Once near her ovulation phase

-For 3 consecutive days in her late luteal phase

The woman already had supplies to prepare Pelvic Hydrotherapy steams at home. She used a blend of herbs containing the following: Calendula flowers, Motherwort, Mugwort, Plantain, Red Raspberry, Rosemary, Red Rose petal and Yarrow, which she purchased on her own. 

She committed to the process and began her Pelvic Hydrotherapy steams during her luteal phase in October of 2025 and carried on with them for 3 complete, consecutive menstrual cycles. 

In late January of 2026 she learns that she is pregnant! 

It is at this point that she returns to her OB-GYN for her initial prenatal appointment and subsequent follow up ultrasound to check on the baby and her fibroids. Below are the results of that ultrasound.

Ultrasound on 02.09.2026:

She is 6weeks + 4 days gestation (LMP 12.27.2025)

-Fibroid 1- 7.37cm 

-Fibroid 2- 3.77cm 

-Fibroid 3- 2.47cm

-Fibroid 4- 5.20cm

They didn’t do as in depth of a reporting on the sizes or the locations of these fibroids so I don’t have the data to clearly define which fibroids reduced in size or which disintegrated altogether. At this point, we can only confirm that the woman was indeed pregnant and that 4 fibroids remained of the original 7. 

As her pregnancy progressed, she was referred to Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) to monitor her fibroids and determine whether or not their location would hinder a safe vaginal birth. Here report from MFM is below. 

Ultrasound with Anatomy Scan on 05.20.2026 performed by MFM:

4 Fibroids identified

-Anterior 4.4 cm

-Left Lateral 4.7cm

-Posterior LUS 15.6 (with a comment on the report stating “likely 2 fibroids close together; upper part is degenerating”) 

-Posterior Right 7.3cm

She was asked to return in 6 weeks to continue monitoring. 

She returned to MFM on 07.01.2026. The results from that date’s ultrasound showed no change in the fibroids whatsoever. The physician who saw her during this visit verbally mentioned that he wasn’t interested in tracking the fibroids per se as much as he was interested in determining if their location was congruent with a safe vaginal delivery. They decided to have her return at 32 weeks gestation for another ultrasound. It is possible the size of the fibroids reported for this ultrasound was just copied over from the previous scan with no actual updated measurements taken. This would explain why there was no change in size. 

She returned to MFM on 08.12.2026. Once again, the size of the fibroids were not updated during this visit and came back exactly the same as the 2 more recent ultrasounds. This, again, indicates that they were most likely copied over with no actual new measurements taken. The notes for this visit state that a transvaginal ultrasound was performed to check on the fibroid in the Lower Uterine Segment (LUS). The results read as follows: “This fibroid does not [appear] to be of a size or in a location where it might affect the probability of a vaginal birth. Routine intrapartum management is recommended.”

At this point she was released from care with Maternal Fetal Medicine.

Her pregnancy continued to progress and she spontaneously went into labor at 39 weeks. She successfully delivered a healthy baby vaginally with zero complications. 

Takeaways:

Pelvic Hydrotherapy is not currently recognized in the medical community as a viable, non-invasive treatment strategy for uterine myomas. While the woman in this case study has not had a follow up ultrasound post-birth, to determine what the status of her fibroids are currently, we did see a significant improvement from the time she initially began her Pelvic Hydrotherapy steams until the time she conceived. 

7 fibroids were identified in her initial ultrasound scan. She steamed over a period of approximately 15 weeks, after which 3 of those fibroids were no longer detected on ultrasound. It is reasonable to assume that, had she continued to steam in the absence of a pregnancy, the remaining fibroids would have continued to reduce in size; perhaps even disintegrating completely. 

Moreover, she had been trying to conceive for 2 years prior to starting this Pelvic Hydrotherapy regimen. The advice of her OB-GYN at the time, was to plan on a follow up ultrasound some time in the following year (which was 3 months away at that point) and schedule a surgical Myomectomy based on the updated information. While it is impossible to know how her fibroids would have behaved during that waiting period, it is reasonable to assume that they would’ve remained the same size, or possibly grown even larger. In which case, she would’ve have undergone the Myomectomy and have been asked to refrain from trying to conceive for another 3-6 months until her uterus fully healed. In addition, she would have risked an increased likelihood of developing scar tissue which would’ve automatically made her a candidate for a C-section rather than a vaginal birth (which she preferred). 

My advice to her was, if you are going to wait on a repeat ultrasound anyway, why not attempt the Pelvic Hydrotherapy during that time? The worst case scenario is that there would be no improvement in the fibroids. The best case scenario is that her fibroids would shrink, or even dissolve, enough to where she could conceive; which was fortunately the case.

Conflicts of Interest:

While the woman in question is personally known to me, she was not an active client during the period of time referenced in this case study. This woman had purchased Pelvic Hydrotherapy supplies from an unaffiliated provider, prior to the period of time referenced in this study. She also purchased her own herbal blends from another provider. My role was providing guidance as to the timing of her steams in relation to her cycle. Additionally, I provided guidance on appropriate herbs to assist in the goal of healing the fibroids. No money or goods were exchanged. There was no financial gain. For these reasons, I claim zero conflicts of interest. 

Acknowledgements:

I'm indescribably grateful to the woman in this case study who has allowed me to share this information with all of you. It is my hope that this information reaches the women who need it. I also want to acknowledge The Steamy Chick Institute for providing my training in Pelvic Hydrotherapy and giving me the skills to work on cases like these.

If this case study has piqued your curiosity as to the healing power of Pelvic Hydrotherapy steams, and you’d like to look into these services for yourself, you can find a qualified provider in your area using this directory.