Source: Daily Trust
A Lagos-based health centre, Nordica Fertility Centre on Tuesday enlightened Abuja residents on the causes and cure of lower abdominal pains in women.
The seminar, which drew many women, was mainly to educate residents on the causes of menstrual pains, pains during intercourse and infertility.
The cause was placed on a medical condition called endometriosis, which causes severe pains during menstruation and intercourse in women.
Dr Wapada Balami, Director, Department of Family Health, Federal Ministry of Health, who represented Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said "endometriosis is characterised by ectopic endometrial tissue that bleeds into the peritoneal cavity and triggers local inflammation in response to hormones which regulate the menstrual cycle".
He said this affects the ovaries, utero-sacral ligaments, rectovaginal aeptum and peritoneum. The minister maintained that the condition makes patients suffer bouts of severe pelvic pain and can cause infertility, stressing that it is unpredictable.
The guest speaker, Professor Oladara Ladipo, who is president of Association of Reproductive and Family Health, a non profit organisation that deals on maternal health, lamented that majority of cases of endometriosis are diagnosed late.
He advised parents to take seriously complaints from their young girls about lower abdominal pains.
According to him, young girls, who suffer complications from termination of unwanted pregnancies do suffer endometriosis and recommended regular check up.
Also speaking, Managing Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi said endometriosis is not curable but could be managed.
Ajayi, who said some of the cases are mild, noted that its management depends on what is needed. He promised to shore up campaigns on the commonness of this medical condition in Nigeria.
A female participant, who craved anonymity, acknowledged that she learnt a lot from the seminar.
She advised organisers to drive the message through schools for the benefit of young girls.
Nordica Fertility Centre organised the health talk as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.