U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood To Have Surgery To Remove Uterine Fibroids

CHICAGO (CBS) -- U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) will undergo surgery on Thursday to remove uterine fibroids.

Underwood, 35, will have the surgery at University of Chicago Medical Center, according to a spokesperson.

"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," a spokesperson said in an email.

Fibroids, or "uterine leiomyomas," are a type of benign, or noncancerous, tumor of the uterus. They may be as small as a seed or grow so big that they form a bulky mass that can distort and enlarge the uterus, according to the Mayo Clinic. In most cases, fibroids don't cause symptoms, the Cleveland Clinic says, but symptoms such as excessive bleeding during menstruation, pain during intercourse, frequent urination or a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen can occur.