Dr Naushad Karim, fibroid treatment specialist and Rhoda Wanjiru, a fibroid patient at Spice FM on Friday July 10. [Screengrab]
Fibroids remains one of the most common health conditions affecting women, yet many continue to suffer in silence due to delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and misconceptions surrounding treatment.
According to statistics, between 20 to 50 per cent of women in the reproductive age are living with fibroids, while up to 70 to 80 per cent will develop them by the age of 50.
Speaking on Spice FM on Friday, Dr Naushad Karim, a fibroid treatment specialist at Aga Khan University Hospital, described fibroids as benign growths that develop from the muscles of the uterus.
"Fibroids are not cancer. They are benign tumours that grow from the muscles of the uterus," he explained.
According to Dr Karim, the exact cause of fibroids remains unknown, although genetics and female reproductive hormones are believed to play a major role in their development.
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During the same discussion, Rhoda Wanjiru, a fibroid patient, shared her painful journey that began unexpectedly in 2018.
She recalled waking up one morning with severe bleeding, having never been diagnosed with fibroids despite several previous hospital visits.
"I woke up one morning and I was bleeding and I could not identify the problem. I called my mother, who had been diagnosed with fibroids, and her first suggestion was for me to get checked. Sure enough, that was the problem," she said.
Before the diagnosis, Wanjiru had experienced heavy menstrual bleeding, frequent urination caused by pressure on the bladder and a noticeable swelling in her lower abdomen.
She underwent a keyhole surgery in 2018 but says the relief was short-lived.
"I was reluctant to undergo major surgery for personal reasons. Six months later, another fibroid was discovered. It may have been overlooked during the first surgery," she said.
She later underwent a second operation, but in 2025 she was again diagnosed with more fibroids.
Determined to avoid another surgery, Wanjiru began exploring alternative treatment options.
She also pointed to what she described as a major knowledge gap among patients.
"Most women are never told that fibroids can return even after they have been removed," she said.
Experts say common symptoms include heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding, severe pelvic pain, frequent urination, constipation, lower back pain, pain during sexual intercourse, fatigue caused by anaemia and, in some cases, fertility challenges.
Dr. Karim explained that while fibroids do not automatically lead to infertility, they can interfere with pregnancy depending on their size and location.
"In some cases, fibroids limit the uterus' ability to expand normally, making it harder for some women to conceive or carry a pregnancy," he said.
He also addressed the common belief that pregnancy cures fibroids.
"Pregnancy suppresses some of the hormones that stimulate fibroid growth, so they may shrink during pregnancy. But that does not mean pregnancy is a permanent treatment."
Beyond the physical symptoms, Wanjiru said fibroids took a heavy emotional and social toll on her life.
"At the beginning of my periods, I would stay away from work and school because I feared embarrassment."
According to Dr Karim, treatment depends on a woman's age, symptoms and reproductive plans.
Options include monitoring fibroids in women approaching menopause, “for those nearing menopause and periods are starting to become further and further apart, they are starting to experience the hot flashes, if asymptomatic, we tell them to hold on when you reach menopause, the hormones will go away and fibroids will start to shrink”, he explained.
Other options include medication to manage symptoms, surgery to remove either the fibroids or the uterus, and minimally invasive procedures such as uterine fibroid embolization, which blocks the blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink.
Health experts are now calling for increased awareness, early screening and timely diagnosis, while urging women to seek medical attention early and understand that surgery is not the only treatment option available.