An obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Tunde Olayemi, on Thursday advised women to avoid undergoing unnecessary surgery to remove fibroid to avoid complications from the process.
Olayemi, a Consultant gynaecologist at the Medicrest Hospital, Bwari, Abuja, gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAN reports that fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus.
Fibroids, sometimes known as uterine myomas or leiomyomas, are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue, and vary in size.
Many women are unaware they have fibroids because they do not have any symptoms, but in some cases, the growths become large and cause abdominal pains and excessive and painful uterine bleeding.
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Olayemi told NAN that removal of fibroid through surgery could adversely affect the general health of the affected woman.
According to him, mere treatment and therapy can prevent growth at an early stage of fibroid, and thereafter cure it.
He said that surgery would only be necessary if the growth was close to the fallopian tube, thereby hindering conception.
The consultant said: “Fibroid surgery ought to be the last intervention in a woman (as it may result in infertility, if not properly handled) except for women whose fibroid is close to the fallopian tube.
“It can also be corrected through hormonal therapy, radiological intervention, laser therapy and endometrial ablative therapy, among others.
“There are possible complications following fibroid surgery that can cause infertility such as fibrous adhesion which can obstruct the fallopian tube.”
Olayemi said that obese women and those yet to give birth were more prone to fibroid.
He said that women with fibroid might not experience major symptoms, aside lower backache, constipation and excessive or painful uterine bleeding.
According to the gynaecologist, small fibroids can be managed conservatively without surgery and can dissolve or disappear with the use of appropriate drugs and therapy.
He, however, said that, for aesthetic and cosmetic reasons, a huge or fast growing fibroid could be removed by surgery.
Olayemi said that some women might want to remove fibroid through surgery to erase the impression that they were pregnant because of the sizes of their abdomen. (NAN)
