African Women Face Fibroid, Ovarian Cyst Care Gaps as Up to 80% Develop Fibroids by 50
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 10
African Women Face Fibroid, Ovarian Cyst Care Gaps as Up to 80% Develop Fibroids by 50
2 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 10
Summary
Hundreds of millions of women worldwide live with ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids, with African women facing especially steep barriers to diagnosis and treatment because of cost, stigma and weak access to care.
In Sierra Leone, many cases go undiagnosed because women cannot afford ultrasound scans, while taboo around reproductive health and reliance on traditional healers can delay licensed treatment until complications worsen.
20% to 80% of women develop fibroids by age 50, and Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o says she has had 77 fibroids and underwent surgery to remove 25 in one operation.
Kenyan bodybuilder Evelyn Okinyi Owala said years of severe period pain went untreated until age 30, when doctors found ovarian cysts; after surgery and recurrence, she turned to exercise and diet while doctors stress lifestyle changes do not replace medical care.
Every three months, Sierra Leone gynecologist Frances Wurie gathers about 25 to 30 youths for reproductive-health sessions, underscoring a broader push for earlier education, more research and better access to less invasive treatment.