Health Essentials
Fibroid… Threat to female reproductive health
“It is not my time of the month, what is wrong with me,” was the question Setriakor (not her real name) asked herself as she looks at her blood stained dress.
As the days went, the flow was heavier with thick dark clots, for which her usual pad could not sustain. She later resorted to the use of diapers. That also failed to absorb the amount of blood and clots ‘gushing out.’
She dares not laugh, cough or do any strenuous activity, lest her dress will be soiled, wherever she finds herself.
Setriakor, a 36-year old Scripter, looked pale and found it difficult to work for a number of weeks.
She decided to visit a local Chemist to explain her ordeal. In the end, a blood tonic was prescribed for her with the hope to replenish the lost blood.
He also advised her to visit the hospital to see a doctor.
Her visit to the health facility the following week ended up with the gynaecologist who performed a scan on her. The results of the scan revealed she had multiple fibroids.
Suddenly, all the stories she had heard about fibroid began racing through her mind. It took a lot of counselling from the gynaecologist to calm her down.
This is the challenge most young and adult women go through with some either losing their uterus or life in the process due to delay in seeking medical attention.
Fibroid, is non-cancerous growth that develops in or around the womb or uterus. The growth or growths are made up of muscle and fibrous tissue. They vary in size.
Many women are unaware they have fibroids because they do not have any symptoms.
Women who do have symptoms of fibroid are likely to experience heavy or painful periods, abdominal pains, lower back pain, frequent urge to urinate, constipation and pain or discomfort during sex.
Women who are diagnosed of fibroid often undergo hysterectomy in order to have it removed.
Most women of African-Carribean origin tend to develop fibroids more frequently and are common with around one in three women.
Types
The Chief Executive Officer of Ladybits Health and Wellness Clinic, Dr Victoria Partey-Newman in an interview with The Spectator said there were four types of fibroids which can occur in women.
The types, she said, were intramural, subserosal, submucosal and pendunculated fibroids.
She explained that intramural fibroids occur in the wall of the uterus. This type of fibroid grows quite large.
Subserosal fibroids grow outside the uterus and may press on other organs of the pelvic area.
Submucosal fibroids grow beneath the lining of the uterus and grow into the uterine cavity which is the central part of the uterus.
“Submucosal fibroids can make it harder for one’s uterus to support conception and maintain pregnancy,” Dr Partey-Newman stated.
According to her, submucosal fibroids are most likely to cause painful cramping as well as bleeding between periods.
Pedunculated fibroids are mushroom-like and grows at the end of small stalks within or outside of the uterus. When the stalk of a pedunculated fibroid become twisted, it can cause intense pain.
The uterine fibroids, however, are the most common tumour in women and very prevalent in infertility issues.
Infertility
Dr Partey-Newman said fibroids could be the sole cause of infertility in two to three per cent of women but the exact cause is unknown. It has often been linked to the hormone oestrogen.
Oestrogen is the female reproductive hormone produced by the ovaries.
Dr Partey-Newman said fibroids most often develop between the start of puberty and menopause, adding that the risk increases with age.
According to her, having a family member with fibroids could increase one’s risk of having it but said “you should not discount the symptoms simply because you do not have a family member with fibroids.”
She said fibroids cannot be prevented but can reduce risk by maintaining a healthy body weight and have a regular pelvic examinations.
Treatment
Dr Partey-Newman said surgery was not the only option for the treatment of fibroids.
They can be treated with medication.
Currently, Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs) are the most effective medical therapies with the most evidence to support the reduction of fibroid volume in menstrual bleeding.
Another way to treat fibroid was uterine fibroid embolisation which is done by cutting off blood supply to the fibroids. That causes them to shrink.
Dr Partey-Newman, however, said “if symptoms do not improve with medication or nonsurgical treatment, or if the gynaecologist suspects fibroids may be causing infertility, surgery may be the next treatment option.
“The goal of surgery may be to relieve pain, reduce menstrual blood flow, or improve fertility.”
Advice
She said since fibroids could reoccur after surgery, it was important for women to quickly get married and start making babies, especially those who have had their fibroids removed.
“In our society, where men are the ones that propose mostly, it somehow makes it difficult for women to marry early and start giving birth.
That contributes in making the fibroids recur again.
She advised women to visit the hospital when they notice changes in their reproductive cycle and urged them to adhere to doctor’s advice when diagnosed of the disease.
She cautioned that women diagnosed of fibroids must avoid herbal concoctions which could affect their kidneys in the long term.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Very often we leave the doctor’s office only to remember that we left out a major complaint. Some patients immediately rush back to the consulting room totally oblivious of the privacy that the next patient is entitled to.
They expect that as they walk in, the doctor should ignore the seated or positioned patient and attend to them. That is totally outrageous. Others go home and continue to live with the condition hoping to be healed miraculously.
Most of us will be extremely lucky to spend 15 minutes with our doctor and this time is often much shorter in countries/communities where the doctor-patient ratio is so low that at best it can be described as criminal.
We are now in the second half of 2026, and I highly recommend that you see a doctor not only when you are unwell but as a means to assess your state of wellbeing and take the needed precautions. It is critical that you find a good primary care doctor who is knowledgeable and proactive and will also be able to coordinate specialist care that you may require.
To make the most out of our time with the doctor we need to PREPARE. If your condition is an emergency, then you do not have the benefit of time to prepare.
A must do!
Kindly ensure your personal hygiene is excellent.
- Take a good bath and brush your teeth
- Wear clean clothes that also make undressing easy, especially if you need to expose some areas for inspection/examination.
This may sound ridiculous, but the opposite does happen in real life.
Remember that doctors are human and when you are unkempt you may not get adequate contact with your doctor.
Research on the symptoms
If you have access to the internet or a book worth its salt you may read about your symptoms or wait to read after your doctor tells you your diagnosis.
Remember that if you need to research on the internet, it is essential that you use a reputable site.
In tune with your complaints
- Write down your complaints/symptoms if you think you may forget.
- If you have had a similar problem and have the results of any investigations e.g. Laboratory tests, x-rays, CT scans etc kindly carry them along
- Let your doctor know if you react to any drugs.
- Be truthful about any medications you have taken for the condition, if you do not remember the names make sure you go with the containers.
- If you have any other medical conditions (and medication) make the doctor aware.
- Remember to make a note of the following
- When did the symptoms/complaint begin?
- How long have you had these symptoms?
- Is it getting worse?
- Does anything make the condition worse?
- What makes you feel better?
- Is anything related to their onset?
- How often does it occur?
- How long does it last e.g. in pain conditions as well as rash, allergies etc.
- Does anyone else in your family have them?
- How do they affect your daily life?
- Is it related to work or home?
You may need to modify these slightly when you have skin lesions, swellings etc. This list is by no means exhaustive, and you may not need to find answers to all of them before getting help, but they will definitely help you ace the visit to your doctor.
If your doctor books you for surgery, do not leave his presence without finding out the following:
- Will you go home on the same day of the surgery?
- Will you need assistance to go home or can you drive unsupervised for instance
- What form of anaesthesia will you be given?
Then, if your visit is for a medical examination, do remember that also being aware of disease conditions in your family will help your doctor select the appropriate tests and make the whole experience and time useful.
Finally do not leave your doctor without finding out:
- How much physical activity/exercise you require; the Almighty “FITT” prescription
- What you need to eat or avoid.
- Some basic information regarding SLEEP.
See you in the consulting room soon.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)/Medics Clinic
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “The next big thing in Healthcare in Ghana is the Medics Clinic. Visit https://medicsgroupgh.com/ for more information.”
References:
The call often comes at the worst possible moment. A mother is bleeding heavily after childbirth. A road crash victim has been rushed into surgery. A child with severe anaemia needs an urgent transfusion.
Then comes the message to relatives: “The patient needs blood. Find donors.”
Within minutes, family members begin making frantic calls, sending WhatsApp messages, and appealing on social media. Some race from one hospital to another in search of matching donors. Others simply pray that blood arrives before it is too late.
For many Ghanaians, this is their first encounter with a reality healthcare professionals know all too well-blood remains one of the country’s most critical and vulnerable healthcare resources.
Despite years of progress, experts say Ghana’s blood collection, storage, and transfusion system still faces significant gaps that affect access, quality, and safety. And in emergencies, those gaps can cost lives.
A system built out of necessity
For decades, hospitals across Ghana collected blood however they could because patients needed it. There was no law governing blood services. There was simply the urgent need to save lives.
It was only in 2020 that Parliament passed the Blood Service Act (Act 1042), establishing the National Blood Service (NBS) as the agency responsible for ensuring safe and adequate blood supplies nationwide.
Charity and philanthropy
According to Dr. Shirley Owusu-Ofori, Chief Executive Officer of the NBS, the law marked a major shift toward a coordinated national system. But reforming practices that evolved over generations remains a challenge.
The blood that is not there
One of the biggest weaknesses is Ghana’s continued dependence on family replacement donors. These are relatives and friends who donate blood only when someone they know requires a transfusion.
The preferred option, experts say, is a strong pool of voluntary, unpaid donors who donate regularly, allowing blood to be available before emergencies occur.
“The blood should be waiting when the emergency happens, not the other way round,” Dr. Owusu-Ofori said.
The numbers reveal the challenge.
The World Health Organization recommends that countries collect at least 10 units of blood per 1,000 people.
Ghana currently collects about 6.6 units per 1,000 population, an improvement from previous years but still well below the recommended threshold. Yet demand continues to rise.
An estimated 80 to 85 per cent of blood requests in Ghana are for emergencies, leaving little room for delays.
More than a bag of blood
Many people assume donated blood goes straight to a patient. It does not. Every unit must first be screened for infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and syphilis. It must then be processed, stored under strict temperature conditions, and transported safely.
Blood itself is not a single product. Red blood cells, plasma, and platelets all require different storage conditions and handling procedures.
Maintaining those standards requires specialized equipment, trained personnel, and continuous monitoring.
And that is where another challenge emerges.
The infrastructure gap
Across the country, some hospitals lack adequate blood storage facilities and the specialized equipment required to operate fully functional blood banks. Others depend on nearby facilities for supplies when emergencies arise.
While healthcare workers often improvise to meet patients’ needs, experts warn that blood safety cannot depend on improvisation.
Storage conditions, transportation systems, and quality controls must work every time.
A breakdown anywhere along the chain can compromise blood quality and patient safety.
Unequal access
Geography presents another challenge. For years, Ghana relied on three major blood centres in Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale to serve the entire country. The arrangement made blood collection and distribution across vast regions difficult and expensive.
To address this, the National Blood Service has established five regional blood centres in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Volta, and Central regions.
More are planned.
But with 16 regions nationwide, large areas still remain underserved.
The result is uneven access to blood and blood products, particularly for facilities located far from regional centres.
Closing the regulatory gaps
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says recent assessments have uncovered compliance challenges across the blood sector.
According to Dr. Edwin Nkansah, Director of Vaccine Vigilance and Clinical Trials at the FDA, gaps exist across the entire transfusion chain, from donor recruitment and testing to storage and transfusion practices.
To strengthen oversight, the FDA is embarking on a programme to regulate and license selected blood facilities across the country. The aim is not punishment, he stressed, but improvement.
Facilities will undergo audits, receive technical support, and be guided to meet approved standards.
The goal is simple: ensuring that blood transfused in any hospital meets the same safety requirements.
The missing link
For all the discussions about infrastructure, regulation, and accreditation, experts agree that the biggest solution lies with ordinary citizens.
Every unit of blood starts with a donor. Yet voluntary blood donation remains far below what the country requires.
Health officials estimate that if just one per cent of eligible Ghanaians donated blood regularly, shortages could be dramatically reduced.
That would mean fewer desperate appeals from hospital wards and fewer families scrambling for donors during medical emergencies.
A race against time
Ghana has made important strides in strengthening blood services. Collection rates are improving. Regulatory oversight is expanding. New regional centres are being established. Yet significant gaps remain.
And for the mother experiencing postpartum haemorrhage, the accident victim on the operating table, or the child awaiting a transfusion, those gaps are not statistics. They are the difference between life and death.
Until safe blood is available whenever and wherever it is needed, Ghana’s blood system will remain a critical work in progress—one whose success depends not only on regulators and hospitals, but also on the willingness of citizens to roll up their sleeves and donate.
Because when blood is missing, every second matters.- GNA
