The Indian Association Gynaecological Endoscopists (IAGE) expressed serious concern over the sharp rise in cases of infertility and fibroids in the country which can turn into a major health issue among women. Dr Rakesh Sinha, president, IAGE informs that almost 25 per cent of women in the country are reported to have fibroids.

Infertility is a another health issue and an increasing number of women are found to have this disorder in the country today. Over the last few years there has been tremendous increase in the number of cases of infertility among women. Dr Sinha points out that apart from life style changes other major factor that contributes to fibroids is late pregnancy.

“Today women are more career oriented that makes them think about pregnancy as a hindrance to their growth and they postpone their pregnancy for three to four years. Ideally speaking within 30 years, women should have her first child, which is not the case today,” informed Dr Sinha, who is also the chief gynaecological endoscopic surgeon at Beams.

He informed that as women start ageing there is a higher risk of getting fibroids thus constant screening is essential to keep in check. It has been reported that women who had early pregnancy has lower chances of getting fibroids compared to their counterparts.

Uterine fibroids are solid muscle tissue growths in the uterus and also called as fibroid tumours, myomas, or leiomyomas. The causes of uterine fibroids are unknown, but estrogens, especially estradiol, promote their growth. However after menopause, fibroids disappear, but because estrogen levels can rise during the early menopausal years, previously asymptomatic fibroids may grow in the years just before the cessation of menses, resulting in symptoms such as feeling of heaviness in the belly, low back pain, pain with vaginal penetration, urinary frequency or incontinence, bowel difficulties, or severe menstrual pain and flooding.