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FIBRIOD: WOMEN BARRIER TO PREGNANCY

BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF FIBRIOD AND HOW IT DEVELOPS:

Fibroid is an abnormal growth of muscular tissue of the uterus. It is abenign tumor of the uterus. It is a benign tumor of the uterus and thecervix which may become cancerous with time. Fibroid is called withdifferent names in the medical practice depending on the tissue involvedin the growth or formation. It is called as fibroma when the growth ortumor is composed chiefly of connective tissues, while it is calledmyoma when the growth is composed of muscle element. Its othernames are fibromyoma, Leiomyoma.

Fibroid are the commonest abnormal growths of the uterus and is one of the most common tumour of the women. The disease is more common inblack women. In fact it occurs three times more frequently in black women than white women, and occurs at an earlier age. The reason forthis is not known. In the Africa, countries like Nigeria as statisticscollated from hospital shows, over 400,000 Nigerian women are affectedand fibroid has been a major cause of infertility and the variouspregnancy related deaths in Nigerian women.

Fibroids usually arise in the muscular wall of the uterus and vary in sizefrom minute seedling growths to large masses which occupy nearly thewhole abdomen. They are often multiple. At the onset, they lye in thesubstance of the uterine wall. They arise far more often in the body of the uterus (the womb) than in the cervix, and can remain exclusivelywithin the muscle (the myometrium) of the womb for as long as 5 to 10years growing silently and progressively and can project to other parts of the uterus (womb) more especially to the mucous membrane (theendometrium) which lines the uterus where it distort the normal shape of the inner cavity of the womb and disturbs pregnancy. However, it mayproject to the outside lining of the uterus and become stalked(pedunculated) in the abdomen. Such growth (fibroid) into the abdomenmay be so big in the abdomen that it may be mistaken for normal

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pregnancy. Many women have carried such fibroid for many yearsregarding it as pregnancy.

Few cases (two per cent) of fibroid arise in the cervix. These are calledcervical fibroids. They are usually single, although there may be othertumour growth in the body of the uterus. They cause distortion andelongation of the cervical canal and displace the body of the uterus(womb) upwards. A large cervical fibroid may cause completeobstruction and blockage of the cervix.

Fibroids are composed of smooth and fibrous tissue. They grow slowly;in some cases there may be no evident change in size for many years. In

few cases growth is more rapid and secondary changes may causeswelling of the tumour.

FACTORS CAUSING FIBROID:

ACTIONS OF OESTROGEN: Clinical evidence suggests that thedevelopment of fibroid is related to the action of oestrogen, hormoneproduced by the ovary. Fibroids arise during the periods of menstrualactivity. They do not originate as a new formation once menstruation hasceased.

NON-UTILIZED AND UNDER UTILIZED UTERUS: The diseasefibroid is commonest in women that has never given birth to any child(nulliparous women) and in women who have not been pregnant forsome time (under-utilized uterus) as in sexually active women who arebarren, infertile or not getting pregnant easily i.e. women who have notbeen pregnant for some time and are in the productive age.

EFFECTS OF CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS: contraceptive pills areoestrogenic and fibroid occurs more in women that are on oestrogenicpills.

SIGNS AND SYMTOMS OF FIBROID

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INCREASED ABDOMEN (ABDOMINAL TUMOURS): This

is sometimes the first thing that the victims of fibroid notice. Theincreased abdomen is so hard that it often attracts attention. Thetumour is not tender (unless complicated) and rarely gives rise topain, but occasionally causes local discomfort and a feeling of weight.

EXCESS MENSTRUAL FLOW MENORRHAGIA): Thisoccurs as a result of the distortion and elongation of the uterinecavity. A woman with fibroid can bleed heavily during hermenstruation for days. Some women become anaemic- and faint as aresult of heavy bleeding. Excessive menstrual flow is common sign

that makes victims top seek advice or help. The menstrual periodsincrease in amount and duration, they may be accompanied by thepassage of clots.

MULTIPLE MENSTRUTION IN ONE MONTH: This canoccur and is common with fibroid.

FREQUENT URINATING: The pressure exerted by fibroid mayaffect bladder function. If the uterus is enlarged by fibroid and lies onthe fundus of the bladder there may be frequent micturitionparticularly on standing.

RETENTION OF URINE AND DIFFICULTY INMICTURITION: when the pressure exerted by fibroids, especiallycervical fibroid displaces the neck of the bladder upwards andelongate the urethra or when pressure exerted by fibroids on theposterior wall of the uterus push the cervix and body of the uterusupwards and forwards, difficulty in micturition and retention of urineresults. This may be of gradual onset or sudden onset. Retention mayoccur at onset of a menstrual period, caused by slight engorgement of

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the pelvic structures; after establishment of the menstrual flow theretention may disappear, to return again with the succeeding period.

CONSTIPATION, HAEMORRHOIDS AND VARICOSEVEINS (SWOLLEN AND KNOTTED VEINS: this mayoccasionally occur, especially if the tumour (fibroid) remain confinedto the pelvis, and with very large tumours, gastro-intestinal symptomssuch as abdominal discomfort, etc. can arise.

PAIN: this is not a common symptom of fibroid. But it occurswhen the tumour is infected and when there is pelvic inflammatorydisease or some complications of the tumour.

ENLARGEMENT OF THE UTERUS: fibroid enlargement of the uterus is harder and generally more irregular than the pregnantuterus, which is soft and elastic and contracts from time to time.

OTHER SIGNS: There will be no stoppage of the menstrualdischarge/flow. No sign of baby kick that occurs in normalpregnancy.

EFFECTS OF FIBROID ON PREGNANCY, CHILD BEARING Miscarriage Increased risk of abortion. Large and Multiple fibroids tend to

cause abortion. Bleeding from threatened abortion. This may be mistakenly

attributed to the menstrual bleeding if the signs of pregnancy areobscured or masked. Many women nearly bleed to death every month

from threatening abortion caused by fibroid.

The signs of pregnancy are sometimes masked. Confusion may arise about expected date of delivery because the

uterus is larger than expected for the period of the menstrualdischarge.

Pain during pregnancy.

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Pre-mature labour: A pregnant fibroid woman may go into labourbefore her term because of over distension of the uterus by thetumour.

Malposition and malpresentation of the child to be delivered:Cervical fibroid prevents the head of the baby from engaging andmay equally cause abnormal presentation of the baby.

Obstruction and complication of labour. Labour may be obstructedin a pregnant fibroid or due to poor contraction of the uterus causedby the presence of fibroid in the uterus. This complicates labour.

Excessive bleeding after childbirth (postpartum haemorrhage).These has killed so many women. This cases occurs particularly if theplacental attachment is over the tumour.

Pain after delivery: fibroid may cause pain after child delivery. Sterility: Fibroids commonly causes sterility in women and it is

the major cause of sterility in black women. Pregnancy may result in increased growth of an existing fibroid.

After the menopause the tumour cease to grow, and many of thefibroid atrophy, sometimes becoming calcified.

FIBROID PREVENTION Avoid the abuse of

contraceptives. Contraceptive pills should be chosen on your doctor'sadvice or on the advice of family planning experts. Contraceptive givesaddition oestrogen to your system which apart from the possibility of causing fibroid also put the women at a higher risk of getting breastcancer.

Avoid delay of pregnancy for too long a period during thereproductive age.

Stay clear of veneral diseases.

Avoid frequent and excessive D&C. Prevent menstrual abnormalities. Treat your menstrual abnormalities if any.

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Uterine Fibroids Overview

A uterine fibroid is the most common benign (not cancerous)tumor of a woman's uterus (womb). Fibroids are tumors of thesmooth muscle that is normally found in the wall of the uterus.

They can develop within the uterine wall itself or attach to it. Theymay grow as a single tumor or in clusters. Uterine fibroids cancause excessive menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and frequenturination; so even though they are termed "benign (notcancerous) tumors," fibroids potentially can cause many healthproblems.

These growths occur in up to 50% of all women and are oneleading cause of hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) in theUnited States. An estimated 600,000 hysterectomies areperformed in the US annually, and at least one-third of theseprocedures are for fibroids. Medications and newer, lessinvasive surgical treatments are now available to help controlthe growth of fibroids.

Fibroids start in the muscle tissues of the uterus. They can growinto the uterine cavity (submucosal), into the thickness of the

uterine wall (intramuscular), or on the surface of the uterus(subsersoal) into the abdominal cavity. Some may occur aspedunculated masses (fibroids growing on a stalk off of theuterus).

Although these tumors are called fibroids, this term ismisleading because they consist of muscle tissue, not fibrous

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tissue. The medical term for a fibroid is leiomyoma, a type ofmyoma or mesenchymal tumor.

Uterine Fibroid Causes

The exact reasons why some women develop fibroids areunknown. Fibroids tend to run in families, and affected womenoften have a family history of fibroids. Women of African descentare two to three times more likely to develop fibroids than womenof other races.

Fibroids grow in response to stimulation by the hormoneestrogen, produced naturally in the body. These growths canshow up as early as age 20 and shrink after menopause when thebody stops producing large amounts of estrogen.

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Fibroids can be tiny and cause no problems, but they also cangrow to weigh several pounds. Fibroids grow slowly.

The following factors have been associated with the presence of

fibroids: Being overweight, obesity

Never having given birth to a child (called nulliparity)

Onset of the menstrual period prior to age 10

African American heritage (occurring 3-9 times more often thanin Caucasian women)

Uterine Fibroid Symptoms

Most fibroids, even large ones, produce no symptoms. Thesemasses are often found during a regular pelvic examination.

When women do experience symptoms, the most common arethe following:

irregular vaginal bleeding or an increase in menstrual bleeding,known as menorrhagia, sometimes with blood clots ;

pressure on the bladder, which may cause frequenturination and a sense of urgency to urinate and, rarely,the inability to urinate ;

pressure on the rectum, resulting in constipation ;

pelvic pressure, "feeling full" in the lower abdomen,lower abdominal pain ;

increase in size around the waist and change in abdominalcontour (some women may need to increase their clothing sizebut not because of a significant weight gain);

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infertility, which is defined as an inability to become pregnantafter 1 year of attempting to get pregnant; and/or

a pelvic mass discovered by a health care practitioner during a

physical examination.

CERVICAL FIBROID

SYMPTOMSJul 15, 2010 | By Rachel Ahmed

Photo Credit tampon image by Willee Cole fromFotolia.com

The cervix is a small opening at the base of a woman's uterus. Benign or noncancerous tumors that growalong the cervix are called cervical fibroids. Cervical fibroid symptoms in women typically mimic those

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experienced by women with uterine fibroids —tumor growths within the uterus; however, unlike uterinefibroids, cervical fibroid generally do not affect a woman's ability to become pregnant. Women whodevelop cervical fibroid symptoms should consult a doctor for evaluation and care.MENSTRUAL CYCLE CHANGES

Women with cervical fibroids can experience prolonged or unusually heavy menstrual periods assymptoms of this condition, explain health professionals with the National Heath Service. Increased bloodloss during heavy menstrual cycles can elevate a woman's risk of developing anemia, a conditioncharacterized by low red blood cell levels.Breast Ultrasound For women. For heath. For life. Siemens Breast Care Solutions! siemens.com/breast-care/ultrasound

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ABDOMINAL CRAMPING OR PAIN

Cervical fibroids can inflame and irritate the cervix and uterus, which are located within a woman's lowerabdomen. Abdominal inflammation can lead to mild to severe abdominal cramping, pain or pressure inwomen with cervical fibroids, warn medical experts with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology atthe University of North Carolina. Abdominal or pelvic pain can be most severe during a woman's monthly

menstrual cycle. In certain cases, abdominal pain can radiate into the lower back.INCREASED URINATION

A large cervical fibroid can place unusual pressure on a woman's bladder. Increased bladder pressurecan lead to frequent or uncomfortable urination in affected women, explain health professionals with theBBC. Increased urination can also occur due to the presence of a urinary tract infection or a sexuallytransmitted disease. Affected women should discuss their symptoms with a medical professional toensure receipt of appropriate treatment.CONSTIPATION

A cervical fibroid can press into a woman's rectum, which can prevent the normal passage of digestedfood products out of the body. Consequently, women with cervical fibroids can develop difficulty having abowel movement, a symptom called constipation, explains the BBC. Constipation can exacerbateabdominal pain, bloating or discomfort in women with cervical fibroids.PAIN DURING INTERCOURSE

Women with cervical fibroids can experience unusual sensations of pain during or after sexualintercourse, a symptom medically referred to as dyspareunia, explain NHS health professionals. Vaginalpenetration can irritate the affected cervical tissue, which can cause mild vaginal bleeding in certainwomen. Dyspareunia is not a normal occurrence and affected women should seek guidance from aphysician.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/175156-cervical-fibroid-symptoms/#ixzz1hddMKTQb