1 in 10 Nigerian women suffers from endometriosis

The prevalence of endometrosis, a disease that was not previously common in the country has become such that  one in 10 Nigerian women suffer from it. Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus –the endometrium grows outside the uterus causing pelvic pain especially associated with menstruation. Dr. […]

The prevalence of endometrosis, a disease that was not previously common in the country has become such that  one in 10 Nigerian women suffer from it.

Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus –the endometrium grows outside the uterus causing pelvic pain especially associated with menstruation.

Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a fertility expert, and managing director, Nordica Fertility Centre, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a walk organized by the centre to mark this year’s endometriosis month.

He said endometriosis awareness month is commemorated annually in the month of March, and that Nigerians held the walk to join in the global endometriosis march and create awareness about the disease. .

Dr Ajayi said there could be more women suffering from the disease than the estimated figure because many women were not often diagnosed due to what was required for diagnosis of the disease, and because most times the symptoms of the diseases were  not clear-cut .

He said others include issues that women regard as private matters such as intercourse, painful period, not having children as well as the fact that diagnosis is made through a procedure called laparascopy  which many Nigerians could not afford.

He said that until 20 years ago endometriosis was only diagnosed abroad.

Ajayi said that the disease does not have a cure but can only be managed, adding that a recent study had revealed that in Nigeria, diagnosis is made in women between age 31 to 40.

He advised women and young girls to see a gynaceologist  when their  menstrual pain was incapacitating saying that they should not be ashamed to describe exactly what the problem was.

“When your menstrual period is very painful, until you know why it is so, don’t rest,” he said.