Have you ever curled up with period pain or vomited like you ate bad jollof while pregnant? Or even more common, have you heard of “toilet infection”? Let’s unpack these women’s health issues!
Nigerian women are experts at enduring health struggles like it’s a badge of honour. Some of these struggles are not just normal wahala. They’re real health conditions that deserve attention not silence. So grab your bottle of Coke, as we debunk myths and empower ourselves to take charge of our bodies as Dr. Zeenaht Abdullahi, an Obstetrics Gynecologist who specialises in women’s health, urges us to do so.
The Conditions: What’s Going On Down There?
1. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): No, It’s Not “Toilet Infection”
Raise your hand if you’ve heard someone say, “I have toilet infection.” Now, put it down because Dr. Zeenaht says there’s no such thing. PID is an infection of the reproductive organs, often caused by bacteria like gonorrhoea or chlamydia, not dirty toilets. Some of its symptoms include abnormal vaginal discharge, funky smells, itching, painful urination or frequent night time bathroom runs.
When you leave it untreated, PID can block your fallopian tubes and cause infertility. Too many Nigerian women run to the chemist for antibiotics instead of seeing a doctor, risking recurrent infections. Please see your doctor, don’t say “toilet infection” and treat it yourself.
2. Vaginismus: When Penetration Hurts
Imagine trying to use a tampon or enjoy sex but your vagina says, “Absolutely not!” That’s vaginismus, where the vaginal muscles involuntarily clamp shut, causing pain from mild discomfort to a burning sensation. Dr. Zeenaht notes it can be lifelong (primary) or start later (secondary), often tied to anxiety, trauma or infections.
It’s not common because women just endure and never speak up but it can lead to the fear of sex or the loss of sexual desire. To manage this condition Kegel exercises (squeezing and releasing vaginal muscles), vaginal dilators or therapy for emotional triggers are useful. Nigerian women rarely talk about this due to shame but it’s a real condition and help exists.
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3. Mittelschmerz: That Mid-Cycle “Ouch”
Have you ever felt a sharp pinch in your lower belly around the middle of your cycle? That’s mittleschmerz, German for “middle pain” and it’s basically your ovary saying, “Hey, I’m dropping an egg!” It’s not a disease but ovulation pain can feel dull, achy or like a sudden stab even. One that lasts between minutes and hours. Dr. Zeenaht explains that it’s caused by the egg’s follicle swelling before release.
Most times, it’s not a big deal, use a painkiller and keep it moving. But if it’s severe, comes with fever, nausea or bleeding, don’t play strong woman, go see a doctor. It might be something else like an ovarian cyst. Many Nigerian women don’t even know that this has a name, so they suffer quietly, thinking that it’s just their period.
4. Hyperemesis Gravidarum: Not Your Average Morning Sickness
Pregnancy is supposed to be all about glowing and cravings, yeah? Tell that to women with hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition where vomiting is so intense that they can’t even keep water down. Dr. Zeenaht calls it a serious condition needing hospital admission, not something you diagnose at home.
It starts around weeks 4-7 of pregnancy, peaks at week 9 and often calms by week 20. It’s not just morning sickness, it can dehydrate you, mess with your electrolytes and cause weight loss. Nigerian women often brush off nausea as pregnancy things, but if you’re vomiting so much that you can barely function? It’s time to hit the hospital.
5. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): More Than Just Irregular Periods
PCOS is when your emotions go haywire, producing too much testosterone, leading to cysts on the ovaries and ovulation drama. The symptoms include missed periods (sometimes for months), heavy bleeding when they come, facial hair (yesss, that beard!), acne, oily skin or thinning hair. Dr. Zeenaht warns it can cause insulin resistance which makes weight loss tough and raises the risk of type 2 diabetes by age 40.
The biggest myth about PCOS is that you can’t have children and that’s completely untrue. Many women are able to manage it and have babies with hormonal treatments or lifestyle changes. Note that only a doctor can confirm PCOS, not Google, Twitter or your WhatsApp friend group.
6. Endometriosis: When Your Womb Likes Waka Waka
Endometriosis is when uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, like on your ovaries, abdomen or even eyes (yes, some women cry blood during their periods!). It causes painfully heavy periods, lower back pain, pelvic pain or pain during sex or urination. Dr. Zeenaht explains that this tissue acts like it’s still in the womb, bleeding and causing inflammation during periods.
It can lead to infertility or scarring, sometimes mimicking vaginismus. Just like PCOS, it’s manageable with hormonal therapy or surgery and fertility isn’t a lost cause. Yet many women dismiss it as normal cramps, delaying diagnosis.
Why Women Stay Silent
So why don’t women talk about these things? Dr. Zeenaht explains that society expects women to endure pain like it’s our birth right. When you have period cramps, they tell you to be strong. Extreme vomiting in pregnancy? It’s normal. Sexual health issues? You must be promiscuous. This stigma keeps women quiet due to the fear of judgement or being seen as less than.
Then there’s the healthcare gap when doctors sometimes brush off our pain with “Take paracetamol”, as Dr. Zeenaht critiques, instead of digging deeper to find the cause. And let’s not even start with “Dr. Google” or Twitter, where one woman’s tweet about PCOS can easily spark a hundred self-diagnoses.
Remember, your life isn’t supposed to be painful so stop enduring in silence. If your period feels like a wrestling match, your pregnancy is starting to look like a vomit marathon or you can’t seem to have sex, talk to a doctor.
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