Uterine Fibroids and How They Affect Your Period

Your period has been getting heavier over the past year. Your abdomen feels fuller. You need to change your pad more often than you used to, and the cramping is intense enough to disrupt your day. These symptoms point to several possible causes — and one of the most common, most commonly overlooked, is uterine fibroids. In Kenya, as in most of Africa, fibroids affect a significant proportion of women of reproductive age, often without a clear diagnosis.

This article explains what uterine fibroids are, how to recognise their impact on your period, what happens if they’re left untreated, and what your treatment options look like in Kenya.

What uterine fibroids are

Fibroids (also called leiomyomas or myomas) are non-cancerous growths of the uterus that appear during the reproductive years. They’re made of muscle and fibrous tissue and can grow as a single nodule or in clusters. Their size ranges enormously — from a few millimetres to several centimetres. Location matters as much as size: fibroids inside the uterine cavity (submucosal) tend to cause the most significant period problems, while fibroids within the uterine wall (intramural) or on the outer surface (subserosal) may cause pressure symptoms but less direct impact on bleeding.

Fibroids are not cancer and do not increase your risk of uterine cancer. Many women have fibroids and experience no symptoms at all — in fact, most fibroids are only discovered incidentally during a routine pelvic ultrasound. The concern arises when they cause significant symptoms that affect quality of life.

How fibroids affect your period

When fibroids do cause symptoms, heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding is the most common. Here’s what that typically looks like:

• Heavy flow (menorrhagia): Soaking through a pad every hour or two, or needing to wear two pads simultaneously on heavy days.
• Prolonged periods: Periods lasting 8–10 days or longer rather than the typical 3–7.
• Clot-heavy bleeding: Passing large clots, sometimes palm-sized on worst days.
• Spotting between periods: Light bleeding mid-cycle.
• Severe cramping: More intense than typical period pain, sometimes starting before the period and lasting after it ends.

Beyond period symptoms, larger fibroids can cause: pelvic pressure or fullness (a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen), frequent urination (a fibroid pressing on the bladder), lower back pain, pain during sex, and a visibly enlarged abdomen. Iron-deficiency anaemia can develop in women with consistently heavy periods — presenting as fatigue, weakness, and shortness of breath.

Who gets fibroids and why

Fibroids are more common in women of African descent than in any other ethnic group — research consistently shows significantly higher rates of diagnosis, earlier onset, and larger fibroid size in Black women compared to white women. The reasons are not fully understood but likely involve a combination of genetic factors, hormonal differences, and environmental exposures. Estrogen and progesterone promote fibroid growth, which is why fibroids typically shrink after menopause when hormone levels drop.

Risk factors include: family history (a mother or sister with fibroids significantly increases your risk), early onset of menstruation, obesity, vitamin D deficiency, and a diet high in red meat. Having had children appears to be somewhat protective — women who haven’t given birth have higher fibroid rates.

Diagnosis in Kenya

Fibroids are diagnosed by pelvic ultrasound — a straightforward, non-invasive test available at any hospital with an ultrasound facility. If you’re experiencing heavy, prolonged, or increasingly painful periods, ask your doctor specifically for a pelvic ultrasound to check for fibroids. A blood test to check your haemoglobin level is also important if your periods are heavy, as anaemia frequently accompanies symptomatic fibroids.

Gynaecologists at Kenyatta National Hospital, Aga Khan, Nairobi Hospital, MP Shah, and most major county referral hospitals can diagnose and manage fibroids.

Treatment options available in Kenya

Watchful waiting. For fibroids that are small and causing minimal symptoms, a “watch and wait” approach — monitoring with annual ultrasounds — is appropriate. Many fibroids don’t worsen significantly and may shrink naturally after menopause.

Hormonal medication. Hormonal contraceptives (the pill, hormonal IUD, injections) can reduce heavy bleeding significantly, though they don’t shrink the fibroids themselves. GnRH agonists (used in specialist settings) can temporarily shrink fibroids before surgery.

Surgical options. Myomectomy (removal of the fibroids while preserving the uterus) is available at major Kenyan hospitals and is the preferred option for women who want to maintain fertility. Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) eliminates fibroids permanently and is an option for women who have completed their families and have severe symptoms.

Uterine fibroid embolisation (UFE). A minimally invasive procedure that cuts off blood supply to the fibroids, causing them to shrink. Availability is limited in Kenya but growing in specialist centres.

Managing heavy fibroid periods day to day

While pursuing diagnosis and treatment, managing the practical reality of heavy bleeding matters. DadaCare Plus heavy flow 340mm pads are built for exactly this kind of sustained, high-volume bleeding — multi-layer absorption, strong leak guards, and full coverage for days when your flow is at its most demanding. Iron supplementation (under doctor supervision) is important if you’re consistently anaemic from blood loss.

Heavy periods are not something to simply endure, and in many cases fibroids are the treatable, diagnosable reason behind them. Keep the right protection on hand while you pursue answers — and know that effective treatment options exist regardless of whether you want to preserve fertility or not.