Final answer:
A uterine fibroid is a noncancerous growth that can necessitate surgical intervention due to its potential to cause significant symptoms or impact a woman's fertility by distorting the uterus or blocking fallopian tubes.
Step-by-step explanation:
A uterine fibroid is a noncancerous growth in a woman's uterus that often appears during childbearing years. Uterine fibroids are an example of a pathological condition that may necessitate surgical intervention. In the context of treating infertility, if fibroids are causing significant symptoms or impacting fertility, they may need to be surgically removed. This is because fibroids can distort the uterus, make implantation difficult, or block the fallopian tubes, thus interfering with egg retrieval or embryo transfer during in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. Similarly, other conditions like blocked fallopian tubes due to scar tissue, or endometriosis, wherein endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus causing pain and infertility, may also require surgical treatment.