May 28 every year has been set aside for the observance of the Menstrual Hygiene Day across the world to raise awareness on menstrual hygiene and fibroid and to advocate for a world where menstruation is no longer a barrier to equality and dignity.
Madam Jane Amerley Oku, the Chief Executive Officer of Janok Foundation in an address, said menstrual health was not just a women’s issue, but public health and human rights issues.
Yet, millions of girls and women continue to face stigma, discrimination and lack of access to basic menstrual hygiene products and changing facilities, she said.
“At Janok Foundation, we believe in empowering individuals with knowledge, access, and voice to decide on myths and misconceptions to create lasting change,” she stated.
Madam Patricia Twum, a Midwife at the Mamprobi Hospital and a Fibroid Ambassador, said fibroid and menstruation had a linkage and the two were serious subjects that needed to be given much attention since they affect the lives of numerous women.
“Fibroids, also known as uterine leiomyomas or myomas, are noncancerous growths that develop in or on the uterus (womb). They are composed of smooth muscle cells and fibrous tissue,” she stated, adding, “They can vary in size from small, pea sized nodules to large, grapefruit-sized masses.”
Madam Twum explained that fibroids only affect women and was common among women of black descent while research were still ongoing to prove the actual cause of it.
“Fibroids are common among women. The real cause of fibroids is unknown; however, they can be associated with the following: age (common in women in their 30-40), ethnicity (women of African descent, Caucasian women, Hispanic and Asian women) and geographical difference influenced by lifestyle, diet, genetics and healthcare access,” she said.
She said the growth patterns of fibroid could be unpredictable, with some of them growing slowly overtime while others may rapidly increase in size.
“The growth of fibroids are influenced by hormonal changes, particularly oestrogen and progesterone level, obesity, diet and genetic predisposition,” she stated.
At the end of the programme, the Foundation distributed free sanitary pads to the students.
GNA
