What every woman should know about fibroid

Though experts said fibroid has been found to be more common among black women, yet the cause of this is not very clear. Dr Nathaniel Adewole, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, said “one of the key theories about fibroid is that it is caused by hormonal inter-fluid and that is […]

Though experts said fibroid has been found to be more common among black women, yet the cause of this is not very clear. Dr Nathaniel Adewole, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, said “one of the key theories about fibroid is that it is caused by hormonal inter-fluid and that is more common among blacks. It is less common in women who started having children early, hence a woman that has not been pregnant before has higher chances of developing fibroid.”

Fibroids are growths on the walls of the uterus. Fibroids can be as small as a seed or a pea or as large as an orange or small melon. Although fibroids are called “tumours,” they are not cancer. They are smooth muscle growths. About two of every 10 women who have not gone through menopause have fibroids.  But according to experts, there is no threat in fibroid. Most of them are discovered accidentally. But medically, fibroids are found by abdominal or pelvic examination or pelvic ultrasound.

Dr Adewole said one of the major symptoms is a woman discovering that her stomach is getting bigger while she is not pregnant. Another symptom is when a woman start having excessive menstrual bleeding during her period.  Some women also develop abdominal pains especially during pregnancy.

On what women should do if they have these symptoms, Dr Adewole advised them to see a gynecologist. “ If the fibroid is not big, then women need not to worry. Quite a number of women have fibroid and they do not know and they can have their children normally,” he stated.

He continued, “Non-surgical treatments for fibroids include hormones and pain relief medicines. Drugs can be given to women to treat fibroid. But the challenge is that for women that are still young when the drug is stopped because it is not suppose to be used after six month, the growth may start again.  So the drugs are more beneficial for women that have attained menopause. The effect of the drug/ injection is to suppress the ovaries, drop the patient’s estrogen, putting her into a temporary menopause, which then shrinks the fibroids as much as 50 percent. It is not useful as permanent solution. The shrinkage is not permanent. Once the monthly injections are stopped, in 85 or more of cases – the fibroids return to pre-treatment sizes in 6 months.”

The major treatment for fibroid that has grown big is to have surgical operation. Surgical treatments for fibroids include hysterectomy and myomectomy. Hysterectomy is usually recommended when the fibroids are causing symptoms, when they have grown rapidly or when the fibroids are large (as large as a grapefruit). And for women that are not likely to have children again, the whole uterus can be removed to stop fibroid from growing again, experts said.

Myomectomy is an operation to remove a fibroid tumour without taking out the uterus. The growths may come back after a myomectomy, and repeat surgery may be necessary. So experts said if you are considering a myomectomy, be sure to ask the doctor how likely it is that new fibroids might grow after the surgery.

But giving hope to people like Clara who have not got courage to go through surgery, Dr Adewole said fibroid is not as deadly as before because medical science has been developed to minimise the risk of death. With laser surgery, the doctor uses a high-intensity light to remove small fibroids. Depending on the location of the fibroid, it may be possible to remove it during a laparoscopy. Or, the doctor may put a thin tube called a hysteroscope with a laser through the vagina and into the uterus. The tube may have a small scraper to scrape away the fibroid from the wall of the uterus.