A lady contacted me on Facebook this morning and said she's been battling with fibroid for sometime now and in her church their pastor claims that fibroid is caused by unprotected sex and sexual promiscuity which is absolute rubbish.

So in some African churches, many innocent women with fibroid are labeled prostitutes by ignorant pastors.

In 2018, while conducting a research on Condoms and prevention of HIV, I met a girl that said she doesn't use condoms because according to her, the oil/lubricant in condoms causes fibroids. Fear nor let me ask her plenty questions sha.

So it looks like there's lots of misinformation about fibroid in Nigeria and for that reason, our medical topic today would be about fibroids.

So What Are Fibroids?
Fibroids are tumors or abnormal growths that develop in the wall of the uterus (womb).

Sometimes these tumors become large and cause severe abdominal pain and heavy periods. In most cases, they cause no signs or symptoms at all.

It is estimated that 70 to 80 percent of women will develop fibroids in their lifetime. However, not everyone will develop symptoms or require treatment. This simply means that many women have fibroids without even knowing.

Please do note that fibriods are different from ovarian cysts. They may have similar symptoms but they are not the same.

Ovarian cysts are another type of growth that can develop within the female reproductive system. We will dicuss cysts next time, for now let's concentrate on fibroids.

Fibroids Symptoms
The symptoms depend on the number of tumors you have as well as their location and size.

The Symptoms of fibroids may include the following:

• heavy bleeding during your periods
• menstruation that lasts longer than usual
• increased menstrual cramping
• pain in the pelvis or lower back
• pressure or fullness in your lower abdomen
• swelling or enlargement of the abdomen
• increased urination
• pain during intercourse

Here are some facts about fibroids:

1. Over 70% of African women have fibroids, maybe because of genetics. It’s very common here.

2. Even in the USA, African-American women are more likely to develop fibroids than other ethnicities.

3. Fibroid has nothing to do with sexual promiscuity, or unprotected sex.

4. The oil and lubricants in condoms do not cause fibroids.

5. Fibroids are not sent by witches, enemies or village people.

6. Fibroids can be removed through surgeries and they're generally safe. It costs between 450k to 800k depending on the hospital.

7. There is no herbal medicine in Nigeria, be it agbo or supplements that can crush, shrink or dissolve fibroids. I'm saying this because I have a relative that was drinking supplements 2 years ago to "SHRINK" the fibroid, according to her. She was too religious and wouldn't listen to me but after trying for 3 years she later listened to me and went for surgery last year.

8. Family history: Having a family member with fibroids increases your risk. If a woman's mother had fibroids, her risk of having them is about three times higher than average. But hey, that your mom or sister had it doesn't mean you will automatically have it.

9. Obesity: Women who are overweight are at higher risk for fibroids. For very heavy women, the risk is two to three times greater than average.

If you enjoyed this post please share it to educate others. And follow my page every Fridays for medical tips like this one. Shalom