Martins Ifijeh
Women who suffer from endometriosis are more likely to experience miscarriage, while 40 per cent of women with infertility have endometriosis, the Lead Medical Consultant, Endometriosis Support Group of Nigeria (ESGN), Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, has said.
He said even though a number of women with the scourge suffer infertility, it does not follow that they are bound to be infertile.
Ajayi, who stated this during ESGN’s ‘Cocktail Night with the Stars’ in Lagos recently, as part of activities to mark this year’s Endometriosis Month, said it was advisable that before the health condition affects fertility, affected women can freeze their eggs, such that when they are ready to get pregnant, they would only refer to their frozen eggs.
Endometriosis is the abnormal growth of cells similar to those that form the inside of the uterus, but in a location outside of the uterus.
According to Ajayi, who is also the Medical Director, Nordica Fertility Centre, he explained that most women suffering from the condition often go through symptoms such as painful periods, pain in the lower abdomen before and during menstruation, cramps one or two weeks around menstruation, heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding between periods, infertility, pain following sexual intercourse, discomfort with bowel movements and lower back pain that may occur at any time during menstrual cycle.
He said one of the unfortunate experiences with endometriosis was the fact that it is usually misdiagnosed, adding that “diagnosis is actually very easy. And this is why we have continued to raise awareness on the scourge.
“It is usually misunderstood and misdiagnosed, yet it is treatable. That is why we are raising awareness so that women, especially adolescents will know they need not go through the pain and discomfort resulting from the condition,” he said.
He explained that the aim of this year’s campaign was to bring awareness to the society, especially adolescents.
According to the organisers, the awareness campaign will start with a walk in Abuja on March 2, another walk in Lagos on March 11, and a host of other activities, and then will be crowned up with the Endo Gala Night March 19.
Among celebrities present at the cocktail event were Nollywood actors and actresses, including Hon. Desmond Elliot and Yvonne Jegede.
