Fibroids, medically known as uterine leiomyomas, are non-cancerous growths made largely of smooth muscle and other tissues that develop in or around the uterus. Some cause heavy bleeding, pain or fertility problems, while others cause no symptoms.

A Nigerian population-based study examined 486 women in central Nigeria using transvaginal ultrasound and found fibroids in 45.1 percent of them. Yet only 5.4 percent had previously reported being told they had fibroids after an abdominal ultrasound, while 7.2 percent said a healthcare professional had diagnosed them. The researchers concluded that self-reporting substantially underestimated the condition.

Myth one: Fibroids are cancer

Fact: Fibroids are benign growths and are not normally cancerous.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development describes fibroids as the most common non-cancerous tumours among women of childbearing age.

A rare cancer called uterine sarcoma can also develop in the uterus, and doctors cannot always distinguish it from a presumed fibroid before surgery. This does not mean an ordinary fibroid is secretly cancer waiting to happen. It means unusual growths and symptoms require proper medical assessment.

Myth two: If you have fibroids, you cannot get pregnant

Fact: Many women with fibroids become pregnant, and having fibroids does not automatically mean infertility.

Fibroids can affect fertility, but their location, size and relationship with the uterine cavity matter.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, said only about two to three percent of infertility is due to fibroids. He advised women with both fibroids and infertility to undergo a complete fertility assessment rather than automatically blaming the fibroids.

Some fibroids can interfere with implantation or affect the shape of the uterine cavity, making them more relevant to fertility than others. Many women with fibroids, however, have successful pregnancies.

Myth three: Every woman with fibroids needs surgery

Fact: Treatment depends on the woman, her symptoms and the characteristics of the fibroids.

Some women have fibroids without symptoms and may not need treatment. Others experience heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, pressure, frequent urination, pain during sex or reproductive problems.

Also Read: The common misconception about PCOS, now PMOS

Professor Lawrence Omo Aghoja, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Delta State University, said about 60 percent of women with fibroids are asymptomatic. He explained that surgery is generally considered when fibroids cause problems such as heavy bleeding, pain or pressure symptoms.

Doctors also consider the size and location of the fibroids, the woman’s age, general health and whether she wants to have children before deciding on treatment.

Myth four: Fibroids only happen to older or married women

Fact: Fibroids can affect women during their reproductive years, including younger women.

Being young or unmarried does not protect a woman from developing fibroids. The Nigerian ultrasound study found fibroids among women across reproductive ages and found no significant difference based on factors including marital status and age at sexual debut.

A young woman who assumes fibroids only affect older married women may therefore ignore symptoms or postpone a medical assessment.

Myth five: Herbs or special foods can dissolve fibroids

Fact: There is currently no established herbal or dietary cure for fibroids.

Balanced eating and maintaining a healthy weight are good for general health, but that is different from claiming that a particular food, tea or herbal mixture can make an established fibroid disappear.

Dr Godswill Iboma, a Senior Lecturer at Eko University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, said there was no evidence demonstrating that herbal medicines can cure or significantly reduce fibroids. He stressed that claims about treating fibroids should be supported by evidence.

Dr Ajayi similarly said lifestyle measures can contribute to general health but should not be presented as proven cures for established fibroids.

Myth six: Pregnancy will make fibroids disappear

Fact: Pregnancy is not a treatment for fibroids.

Fibroids can change during pregnancy, and some may shrink afterwards, but deliberately becoming pregnant in the hope that a fibroid will disappear is not medical treatment.

Fibroids can sometimes be associated with pain, abnormal bleeding and pregnancy complications, including preterm birth. A woman with fibroids who wants to become pregnant therefore needs an individual assessment rather than advice based on the assumption that pregnancy will cure the condition.

Myth seven: Fibroids are caused by something a woman did

Fact: The exact cause of fibroids remains unknown.

A woman may be told that her fibroids are punishment for something she did, the result of her sex life, evidence of infertility or a spiritual problem. None of these explanations has been established as the cause of uterine fibroids.

Researchers believe genetics, hormones and other biological factors play roles, but there is no single confirmed cause. Fibroids are also more common among Black women, who tend to develop them at younger ages and may have larger or more numerous growths.

Dr Ajayi has pushed back against spiritual explanations, saying there is nothing spiritual about fibroids and describing them as common growths that develop in the uterus.

A fibroid diagnosis does not automatically mean infertility, surgery or cancer. What matters is an accurate diagnosis and a treatment decision based on symptoms, fertility plans and medical assessment. Heavy or painful periods, bleeding between periods, pelvic pressure, lower back pain, pain during sex, frequent urination and anaemia can occur with fibroids, although some women have no symptoms at all.

Cynthia Nwanonyiri