Fibroids: Expert recommends frequent checks to avoid complications

A medical practitioner in Universal Hospital, Benin, Dr. Mary Kigho, has advised patients with uterine fibroids to go for frequent medical check-ups to avoid further complications.

Kigho gave the advice in an interview on Friday in Benin and defined uterine fibroids as “non-cancerous growths in the uterus that can develop during a woman’s child-bearing years.”

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She however, said that frequent check-ups and proper medications without failure would help to manage it.

Kigho said uterine fibroids also called leiomyomas (lie-o-my-O-muhs) or myomas, is not associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develops into cancer.

“Fibroids range in size from seedlings, undetectable by the human eye to bulky masses that can distort and enlarge the uterus.

“A person can have a single fibroid or multiple ones. In some cases, multiple fibroids can expand the uterus so much that it reaches the rib cage and can add weight.

“The treatment of fibroids includes medication and removal of the fibroid through a surgery,’’ she said.

According to her, many women do not know they have uterine fibroids because they often cause no symptoms at the early stage.

Kigho said the most common signs and symptoms of uterine fibroids include having menstrual bleeding and menstrual periods lasting more than a week as well as pelvic pressure or pain.

Others are frequent urination, difficulty emptying the bladder, constipation and backache or leg pains.

She said preventing uterine fibroids is possible as only a small percentage of these tumours require treatment.