Marry early to avoid fibroid - Gynaecologist advises 'choosy' ladies

An obstetrician-gynaecologist Dr Gabriel Akilo has advised that since late pregnancies cause fibroids, women should endeavour to get married earlier so as to conceive early, noting that getting pregnant earlier or in one’s 20s helps to avoid fibroids.

He explained that fibroids are common in women who are between 35 years and 42 years who are getting pregnant for the first.

“This is so common among women between 35 years and 45 years of age or nulliparous women…,” he declared.

Dr Akilo gave the advice at the 9th Symposium and Awards put together by the Health Writers Association of Nigeria ( HEWAN) with support from Maximpact Communications in Lagos, Nigeria.

He further counselled women to avoid delaying their marriage and pregnancy by being choosy of their suitors, urging parents to be more considerate of suitors who seek their daughters’ hand in marriage.

"We are strongly advising and encouraging our women to get married very early so that they do not face the scourge of fibroids…Our women should not be too choosy about the man they want to get married to and they shouldn’t wait for the man that has it all…Many of the women eligible for marriage miss the right men in the process of being choosy…

”And then, parents must encourage their female children by not rejecting their suitors on the grounds of tribe, religion or educational background,” he passionately appealed.

Fibroids also known as pelvic tumours are a benign tumour of muscular and fibrous tissues, typically developing in the wall of the uterus which can cause discomfort and may lead to complications such as a drop in red blood cells (anaemia), which causes fatigue, from heavy blood loss.

Akilo advised women to be careful of the kind of treatment they get for their fibroids, saying that the kidneys, bowels, bladders, wombs and other organs around the uterus might be damaged.