Leading Nigerian gynaecologists have said that women can conceive and give birth after undergoing fibroid surgery, silencing widespread fears that the procedure causes infertility.
Their comments come after an increase in misconceptions across the country, where many women avoid treatment due to anxiety about surgical risks and the impact on fertility.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths found in or around the uterus that are extremely common among women of African descent, with medical researchers estimating a prevalence of between 40 and 80 per cent among Nigerian women of reproductive age.
Despite this, specialists say most fibroids are harmless and do not require treatment unless they cause significant symptoms.
According to the UK’s National Health Service, fibroids rarely interfere with fertility or pregnancy. Nigerian experts interviewed said this, stressing that many women who undergo myomectomy the surgical removal of fibroids go on to conceive naturally.
Professor Oluwarotimi Akinola, a leading obstetrician and gynaecologist, said fears about infertility after fibroid surgery are largely unfounded.
He explained that although fibroid treatment may slightly reduce fertility potential, most women who desire children after surgery do and can get pregnant.
He said treatment is only recommended when fibroids cause severe symptoms such as prolonged bleeding, pelvic pain, abdominal swelling, painful intercourse or pressure on surrounding organs.
“You only have trouble with fibroids when fibroids trouble you. The indication must be good enough for you to need treatment, Women can certainly get pregnant after surgery.” he said.
Akinola added that half of all fibroid cases require no treatment at all. For women who do need intervention, options include medical therapy to shrink the growths, traditional surgery and newer minimally invasive technologies such as high-intensity focused ultrasound, which uses heat energy under imaging guidance to reduce fibroid size.
The gynaecologist noted that fibroids often enlarge during pregnancy due to hormonal changes but this does not prevent most women from having safe deliveries. Complications such as pain, miscarriage or abnormal positioning of the baby do occur but remain the exception.
Professor Lawrence Omo-Aghoja of Delta State University similarly warned that untreated symptomatic fibroids may interfere with pregnancy depending on their size and location, sometimes limiting space for the developing fetus. However, he said myomectomy remains appropriate for women who still want children.
He cautioned that fibroids may regrow after surgery and urged women to seek specialist guidance before choosing a treatment path. Both experts dismissed claims of herbal cures, saying such remedies have no scientific basis.
The debate around fertility and fibroid treatment has gained renewed attention in recent years as more Nigerian women delay childbirth into their 30s and 40s, an age group in which fibroids are more likely to appear.
Also, international studies, including recent research published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, continue to show that myomectomy remains an effective fertility-preserving option for women who want to conceive.
