A GNA Feature by LINDA ASANTE ADJEI for GRi

There is no doubt that women play very important roles in all aspects of human endeavour. Unfortunately, they suffer from many diseases that deprive them of their natural role as mothers and home makers.

High blood pressure, cancers of the cervix, womb and breast are some of the common diseases that plague women. However, fibroid, a tumour of muscle fibres of the womb and the most recent and complicated, is a disease that affects women of all ages, particularly those above 20 years. The tumour is usually associated with female hormones in the system but medical research has so far not been able to identify the actual cause of the disease. Statistics available at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital indicate that as at June, 1999, 384 out of 726 major selective gynaecology operations carried out at the hospital were fibroid. This sounds quite alarming. But more alarming is the fact that this figure is just the tip of the iceberg as many more women who suffer from the disease do not report to the hospital because they do not know that they have it. Gynaecologists say fibroid is very difficult to identify at the early stage. "One has to go through a series of tests and examinations before it can be detected and diagnosed for treatment," Dr. Kwabena Nkyerkyer, a gynaecologist at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said. However, he dismissed speculations that fibroid is the cause of barrenness in women, especially those beyond 30 years. "Though fibroid may cause a delay in childbearing if not removed, it is not the cause of barrenness. Most women get the disease after having their first or second child while other women do not bear any children," he stated.

Dr. Nkyerkyer explained that the chances of women with fibroid having children depends on the size of the tumour and on exactly where it grows in the womb.

The moment the tumour starts growing, symptoms such as excessive menstrual bleeding, anaemia, frequent passage of urine and delay in pregnancy will occur. The fibroid can be treated by monitoring and assessing the tumour. That is when it is small and not giving the patient any problem. "Secondly, it can be done through Myomectomy. This is where the fibroid is removed leaving the womb intact for the woman to be able to have children." However, gynaecologists say there is a 15 per cent chance of the tumour growing again. Another treatment is by removing the fibroid and the womb which is known as Hysterectomy. With this type of fibroid, the tumour has become huge and destroyed the womb, thus making it impossible for the woman to bear children again.

This is mostly found in women who do not report to the hospital in time. The patient can also be put on medication. With this kind of treatment, the patient is given drugs to reduce the size of the tumour by 50 per cent. The reduction takes about three months.

Dr Nkyerkyer said this method is only to make surgery easy and without trouble. He noted that drugs used for this type of treatment, mostly practised in developed countries, are very expensive. Dr Nkyerkyer said the cause of the disease is not spiritual as some people would want to believe. "It is very unfortunate that some people relate this disease to spiritual powers and, instead of going to the hospital for treatment, go to see herbalists who have no idea of the disease. Those women are wasting their time." According to Dr. Nkyerkyer, most of these women who go to see herbalists are given some concoctions, which in the long run worsen their plight.

"For those who go the spiritualists for prayers, I cannot condemn them because I know God works in mysterious ways. But it does not mean if somebody was delivered of her fibroid, then all others will be healed through the same way." He cautioned that fibroid is no respecter of persons and "can happen to anybody, be you a lawyer, doctor, engineer, housewife or a schoolgirl". "It is, therefore, advisable for women to see a gynaecologist when they notice any of the symptoms instead of going to a herbalist who will insert some concoctions into the vagina, which, in the end, will make treatment difficult, delayed and expensive." Madam Ama Bonsu, a 37-year-old fibroid patient, who has been married for nine years, had this to say: "I am married and ready for children but they are not coming." Though she does not attribute the difficulty to conceive to fibroid, her husband, a pastor, has convinced her to pray over it. "So I am waiting for a miracle," she said. There are some pastors who believe in miracles and will not advise their members with the disease to go for medical treatment but would rather prefer taking them through prayers. But Dr. Nkyerkyer says though some may be healed, the case of others may worsen. Pastor John Akwesi Amankwa, whose church is in Accra, explained that though he believes in miracles, he would advise such patients to go for medical treatment after prayers. "It is after consulting the doctor and having a check-up that will determine whether the God we serve is not a true God. "I have prayed for many women who have received their healing of the disease after which doctors have also confirmed that they no longer have it. "You know, God also works miracles through these doctors who treat us of various diseases but most people are not aware of this." Madam Yaa Dentaah, a 48-year-old trader, is another victim who was rather happy to have had a child at the age of 22 before she was attacked by the disease. Madam Dentaah had an operation last year to remove the fibroid. She said before the operation, her stomach began to bloat and she started experiencing delays in pregnancy. Doctors who attended to her initially treated a different disease without knowing it was fibroid. "Later, I consulted herbalists for treatment but it rather worsened my situation. My condition became so serious that I nearly lost my life. It was at this time, after excessive bleeding, that I went on admission at another hospital where the disease was finally diagnosed. "I am waiting to be pregnant again now that I have had a successful operation," she said. As a challenge in the new century, women organisations should organise seminars, workshops and conferences to educate women, especially those in the rural areas, on the seriousness of this disease and others that hinder their progress and slow down their health. Although some women organisations have taken the initiative to promote women's issues, their work mostly centres on gender issues with no major recognition of matters affecting their health. It is in this wise that Madam Afua Ansaa Ampene of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation must be commended for initiating the programme "Mmaa Nkomo", which seeks to address women's issues, including their health. Other women's organisations must take a cue from Madam Ampene and create more awareness on health issues affecting women. They can also organise women doctors from various fields through seminars on both local and international platforms. This could be done especially within the sub-region where women are most vulnerable to poverty, which prevents them from seeking treatment at hospitals. By this effort, women would be educated on the need to report all health cases for prompt attention. Churches should not be left out in this important education since they have a great influence on the society, especially women. Husbands should also encourage their wives to undergo regular checkups at the hospital to avoid any complications. It is about time people ignored the myth surrounding the disease and created the necessary awareness about fibroids and its impact on women's health. Women's organisations and advocates as well as husbands must embark on constant education and encourage our women and adolescent girls to seek early medical care for all ailments to keep them healthy and happy.