Uterine fibroids and Ulipristal

Uterine fibroids, the most common benign gynaecological tumours in women of reproductive age, impact negatively on women’s health and quality of life and have significant cost implications for their management. The current mainstay treatments are surgical or radiological but none of these are ideal for every woman. Ulipristal acetate is a selective progesterone receptor modulatore which has shown a significant reduction in uterine bleeding, fibroid volume and improved quality of life, without the side effects associated with other medications such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists. Presently, it has been licensed in Western Europe for short-term clinical use prior to surgery and further studies are awaited to establish its long-term safety and efficacy.