The EndoSurvivors International
Foundation (ESIF) has said that not less than 40 per cent of the
infertility cases are caused by endometriosis...
Stating this during a walk on
endometriosis/community outreach to mark Nurses Week in Lagos, organised
by ESIF and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives
(NANNM), the Founder of ESIF, Mrs. Olivia Nwankudu, said the disease was
an incurable, invisible, painful disease that affects one in 10 girls
and women of reproductive age.
Endometriosis is a disease of the female
reproductive system in which tissues resembling the lining of the
uterus (endometrium) are found growing in areas outside the uterus. This
distortion in the normal biological process leads to inflammations,
severe debilitating pain and much more.
According to Nwankudu, women who suffer
endometriosis may experience severe/crippling menstrual cramps, chronic
or cyclic abdomino-pelvic pain, painful intercourse, heavy periods,
abdominal bloating, pain while urinating, infertility, fatigue, mood
swings, and others.
“Despite the prevalence and impact of
such a life-altering disease, a great proportion of the public know
nothing about endometriosis; hence the urgent need for proactive
awareness about endometriosis.
“When it comes to identifying, treating
and managing symptoms of endometriosis, education remains key, and such
education should be for both healthcare providers, women and the society
at large.
“If adolescent girls and women are more
aware of the symptoms of endometriosis, they would be more likely to
report these symptoms to their doctors. As we raise awareness about it, a
key element is to dispel the myths that enshroud the disease,” she
said.
During the community outreach,
participants from the locality in Ikeja and passers-by received free
medical counseling, hepatitis and blood sugar screening and blood
pressure checks. Beneficiaries also received free gifts like
haematinics, female/male condoms, deworming tablets and night aids.
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