GYN CHRONICLES
Fibroids
Dr . Maureen Owiti
As I racked my brain on what to write about , I got quite surprised that I have not yet tackled a very common condition among our beautiful African selves - fibroids . This is obviously the layman term as scientifically we call them leiomyoma or myoma for short .
Ariana ( not her real name ) was a prospering young executive married about 3 years . She had all the makings of success yet was on the verge of depression . Despite all her achievements at work , at home all was not well . There was trouble in paradise . She and her husband Jim had been trying to conceive without much success .
She couldn ’ t stand going for social events as all her relatives from her mum to aunties and uncles would ask the same question … when was she adding a new family member ? Initially she wasn ’ t perturbed as she thought it was opportune that she and Jim get time to know each other . She opted not to take contraceptives as she was very ready to be a mum and everyone in her family seemed to do it so easily .
The first year passed and nothing happened , her periods still came every month . The second year , the same situation sustained and then the third year was almost nearing the end . She was invited for a baby shower of one of her good friends and quite by accident bumped into a whispered conversation . Shock and horror as she discovered she was the reason for the hushed talk . Some acquaintances were speculating that she must be barren . Ariana quickly left the building and drove away not knowing where she was going . She needed to talk to someone and didn ’ t know whom to turn to .
She finally reached home a nervous wreck with her make-up ruined from all the crying . Jim saw her and immediately knew something was amiss . He gently proded what the matter was and was rewarded with a flood of tears that nearly rivalled Noah ’ s !! Ariana narrated what had happened and Jim immediately took charge of the situation .
Clear your diary and let ’ s get time to see a doctor , Jim ordered . The following Monday Ariana dutifully got to work and managed to get her Friday afternoon off and after a few phone calls got a referral for a gynaecologist to see .
At first glance the couple looked like they had a great relationship and this proved to be true . Following the consultation , it was established Ariana had a swelling in her abdomen which were most likely fibroids
“
Fibroids are some of the most common diseases in women of reproductive age and can present in upto 70 % of Caucasians and 80 % of Africans in their lifetime . Please note that African women are more prone to having fibroids than any other race . and they had several tests to do from x-rays , Ultrasound and numerous laboratory blood tests .
At the next appointment we went through her results and it was confirmed that she had multiple fibroids . Ariana was quite surprised as she had not particularly heard of fibroids in her family . Unfortunately , some of the fibroids were changing the course of the inner lining of the uterus - endometrium . This must be what was preventing her from conceiving . It also explained why her bleeding was very heavy especially at the beginning of her periods .
After going through her options and in view of her desire to have a baby we concluded on having surgery and she had to have a hysteroscopy and a laparoscopic myomectomy . A Hysteroscopy is when we go in via the vagina and enter the uterine cavity with the aid of a very small camera . We can add special attachments to it to assist us with surgery .
At surgery we found 2 intrauterine fibroids which we removed hysteroscopically , and one huge fundal fibroid which we removed laparoscopically .
Ariana was advised to wait for 3 months before any attempt at conception . After 3 months an HSG check was done and unfortunately it showed Ariana had developed some adhesions in the uterus . An adhesion is like a band that makes the walls of the uterus stick together . Unfortunately , this is one of the complications of surgery . Ariana had to undergo 2 more surgeries to remove the adhesions and after the 3rd surgery Ariana conceived spontaneously . Ariana and Jim now have 2 boys and still want to try for another child . Best wishes to the couple .
12 MAL53 / 23 ISSUE