A Link Has Been Found Connecting Severe Menstrual Pain To Infertility In Women
Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a Nigerian fertility expert, says that any form of menstrual pain that disturbs the daily life of a woman or adolescent girl is not at all normal and can oftentimes be an indicator of endometriosis which is one of the most common causes of abdominal pain and infertility in women.
The founder of the Endometriosis Support Group, Nigeria (ESGN), Dr. Ajayi, during a webinar organized to mark the 2022 annual ESGN Endometriosis Awareness month, mentioned that around 10 percent of women worldwide who are in the reproductive age group are affected by endometriosis and the Nigerian women experiencing menstrual pain should speak out.
Endometriosis is a condition that occurs when the tissue lining the womb starts to grow outside of the womb. It causes severe symptoms which include pelvic pain, cramps, heavy bleeding, pain with sex, pain with bowel movements and others.
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Dr. Ajayi states that the symptoms of endometriosis vary from person to person. They also vary in severity and some women tend to have no symptoms at all. Therefore it is important that women and girls whose menstrual pain disturbs their daily life ensure that doctors help to identify and treat the cause of their pain. He further mentions, “We don’t really know the exact prevalence in Nigeria but we have seen that it causes a lot of infertility. Some researchers quote that between 30 to 50 percent have endometriosis.”
He continues, saying, “ We estimate that about 190 million girls worldwide have endometriosis. This is why we cannot keep quiet about this. A lot of women are silently suffering from tis condition; and then as much as this is a problem, it is a largely undiagnosed and undetected for many years. All over the world, there is between 8 to 12 years void between when the symptoms start and its diagnosis. Of course, during this period of time, the quality of life of the sufferer is not spared. It costs so many women their careers; so many homes have been broken because of endometriosis.
Dr. Ajayi urges that all medical doctors should have a high sense of suspicion of endometriosis in women of reproductive age groups who experience conditions such as abdominal pain, coughing out blood or shoulder pain as well as any other abnormal conditions during menstruation.
