Understanding fibroids
WITH eight out of every 10 black women being affected by fibroids, there is no doubt that it is one of the most prevalent health problems today.
Fibroids are abnormal growths made up of muscle tissue and fibres, which can be found in or around the uterus of a female.
Although very common, there is still no conclusive information that points to what exactly causes fibroids.
“We still don’t know the cause, but some experts say it has a genetic link or a hereditary link. Obesity is a big problem and puts you at risk for fibroids, frequent processing of your hair puts you at high risk for fibroids, research shows that, but there is no definitive cause yet,” general and anti-ageing practitioner Dr Sandra Knight explained.
However, the symptoms are easier to spot, and they include menstrual dysfunctionality where a woman’s period is either irregular or comes too often with heavy, painful bleeding, and having difficulty getting pregnant.
Dr Knight said women also tend to get a high tummy and can even faint due to the low levels of haemoglobin. Fibroids also adversely affect personal relationships.
“It’s difficult for a man to understand his girlfriend or wife bleeding for half of the month; it’s tough on men, and as a result some women will find that they don’t have understanding partners and so their relationships go down the drain,” the doctor explained.
She said as a result it is important that men get involved from the beginning of the appointments and treatments to really understand what their girlfriends/spouses are going through. In some cases it makes the relationship stronger, but for others it has the opposite effect.
According to Dr Knight, a simple ultrasound can determine the number and sizes of the fibroids present and a treatment plan put in place.
“In terms of treatment, you have to discuss this with your gynaecologist because you have non-surgical options such as embolisation of the fibroids, in other words you cut off circulation to the fibroids and they shrink. The most common one is to take out the fibroids instead of taking out the uterus. If it’s too much, you have to do a hysterectomy which is to take out the uterus,” the doctor said.
Other options include injecting the fibroids and having them dissolve in addition to other natural treatments, but Dr Knight maintained that the most effective way is doing the myomectomy, which is taking the fibroids out surgically. This is also the best option for women who want to get pregnant.
“Most obstetricians would recommend that you take out your fibroids before you have children because your fibroids can actually cause small birth weight, because if the baby is competing it won’t grow as big as it should, and the baby can come out with deformities,” Dr Knight stated.
She said even though there is a high chance that fibroids will come back after they have been removed, women should ensure that they keep themselves generally healthy.
