The horror of fibroids.............. One out of three women has it: but it can be tamed, says doctor

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.