Illinois Rep. Lauren Underwood undergoing surgery to remove uterine fibroids

WASHINGTON — Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., will undergo surgery on Thursday to remove uterine fibroids, her spokeswoman said.

Underwood, 35, from Naperville, in her second term, “will undergo surgery at the University of Chicago Medical Center to remove uterine fibroids.”

“She will recover in Illinois over the coming weeks where she will continue her work representing the people of Illinois’ 14th Congressional District.

“She is grateful to the team of doctors, nurses, and support professionals at UChicago Medicine and looks forward to traveling throughout the 14th District and returning to the House of Representatives soon,” her spokeswoman said.

According to MayoClinic.com, “Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during childbearing years. Also called leiomyomas or myomas, uterine fibroids aren’t associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.”

According to ClevelandClinic.com, “Uterine fibroids are a common type of noncancerous tumor that can grow in and on your uterus. Not all fibroids cause symptoms, but when they do, symptoms can include heavy menstrual bleeding, back pain, frequent urination and pain during sex. Small fibroids often don’t need treatment, but larger fibroids can be treated with medications or surgery.”