Reasons for aversion to hysterectomy among fibroid patients in ESUT teaching hospital, Enugu: Cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Uterine fibroids are the most common benign gynaecological tumours in women of reproductive age. It is a benign monoclonal tumour of the smooth muscles of the uterus with very low potential for malignant transformation. More often than not, it is asymptomatic and found as an incidental occurrence but when symptomatic, heavy menstrual bleeding is the commonest occurrence. It has various modalities of treatment ranging from watchful waiting, medical to surgical treatments. However, hysterectomy is the only definitive treatment but this treatment option has not been found to be easily acceptable in our centre from observations, hence, the need to find the proportion of women who may accept this option and the reason given by those who may not accept it when indicated. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the factors responsible for the observed high level of aversion to hysterectomy for treating fibroid in our centre Methodology: It was a cross-sectional questionnaire based, hospital study of 285 women who were diagnosed with uterine fibroid in the gynaecology clinic of ESUT Teaching Hospital, Enugu