By ANN ZULU
OUT of every three women in Zambia, one has fibroids
but despite these alarming records, there is less information about the
preventive and treatment of the health condition.
According to consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist
Dr Steven Mwape, fibroid cases were on the increase and women above 30 years were
more likely to have the disease.
Dr Mwape, however, noted that most fibroid cases do
not cause any health problem.
He explained that the same hormones that control
menses promote the growth of fibroids, adding that if a female has been having
her period throughout her life the chances of having fibroids were higher.
“When a woman is pregnant, they do not have menstruation
and so there is a break in the menstrual cycle. It has been observed that
people who have several pregnancies in their lifetime are least likely to have
fibroid.
“However, those who have had no break in their
menstrual cycle are most likely to have fibroids,” Dr Mwape said.
He said fibroid was a benign growth of the womb, which
was not dangerous but the malignant growth (cancer) could pose health
challenges.
Dr Mwape noted that one could live with fibroids but
should seek treatment if it causes pain around the abdomen during and after
menses or experiences visible enlargement of the lower abdomen and excessive
bleeding with lots of blood clots, dizziness and weakness as a result of the
blood loss.
He said if the fibroid was causing problems then the
patient needed surgery - myomectomy or hysterectomy.
“Myomectomy involves the removal of fibroid growth
while hysterectomy involves the removal of the womb.
“People usually discover they have fibroid
accidentally when they go for a scan for another health situation because there
is no clear symptom to show one has fibroids.
“When this happens one should not worry because
medical doctors are able to manage those that cause problems,” he said.
The most visible sign of fibroid is the enlargement of
the lower abdomen. However there are other reasons why a lady may start
developing a big tummy.
While there may be some health reasons there is also
lifestyle. Inevitable situations may also cause a lady to have a visibly big
stomach.
One such condition is pregnancy, however some women
may not have flat stomach after giving birth.
Dr Mwape explained that the increase in the belly size
after childbirth was due to the stretch in the abdominal walls that occurred
during pregnancy.
He said the womb begins to expand especially during
the second half of the pregnancy, as it expands to cater for the growing
foetus, and the increasing amount of amniotic fluid around the baby.
Said Dr Mwape: “The stretch sometimes becomes so much
that there is a lot of stretch marks called striae.
“After the baby is delivered, the womb may try to
return to its original size but it usually doesn’t because of the stretch that
has taken place. However, there is individual variation.
“Some women have a lot more elastic muscle tissue, so
even when they are stretched, they come back a little normal than others, but
for most people the stretch causes the abdominal walls to become lax,” he said.
Dr Mwape advised women to do the abdominal wall
exercise for a few weeks after pregnancy.
“If a woman had a normal delivery then three weeks
after delivery when she is completely well, then she can start the exercise,”
he said.
He added that the results are better if one starts the
abdominal wall exercise early after childbirth.
“The woman should lie on her back and the neck resting
in both hands. Then lift the legs with knees stretched up to the waist level.
This can be repeated a number of times.”
Meanwhile, a survey by this reporter revealed that
most women develop a bid stomach after childbirth and some men have a high
regard for those who are able to maintain a flat belly even after childbirth.
Most of the women talked to explained that after birth,
they used cloth to tie their stomachs for some time, but the reduction was not
significant.
Others explained that they wore a corset beneath their
clothing, and very few exercised after childbirth.
There were also the ladies who did nothing at all
after childbirth, but had their bellies return to normal.
From the survey, it was also discovered that some
women were overly worried about their tummies after pregnancy whereas their
husbands did not.
However, some men were critical of young ladies who
have not delivered but have visibly big stomachs.
They explained that it was a complete turn-off for
them.
Fibroids may cause ladies’ tummies to be big,
post-pregnancy conditions may also cause their abdomen to enlarge, or even
cholesterol.
Through vigorous exercises one could reverse her big
tummy and through good diet the health problems associated with high
cholesterol could also be under control.
The challenges of fibroids could also not be out of
control if women take seriously the advice their doctors give them.