Life style

Understanding fibroids

Published

3 years ago

2022/01/9

Uterine myomas, commonly called fibroids, are very common in South Asian and African women. However, the risk of them turning malignant or cancerous is very rare. In an interview with the Sunday Island, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the Kotelawala Defense University, Dr. Romanie Fernando throws light on the causes and treatment of fibroids which are found in 30% of Lankan women over 30 years.

by Randima Attygalle

Uterine fibroids are benign or non-cancerous muscular growths which could appear in the uterus (womb), uterine wall or on its surface. The uterine wall which is made of smooth muscle becomes harder as a result of fibroids. “There is a genetic pre-disposition involved in fibroids; South Asian and African women are at a higher risk of getting fibroids and why they are more pre-disposed is still unknown,” says Dr. Romanie Fernando.

Fibroids usually appear in women of reproductive age- generally between 30-40 years although in some, they could appear earlier than that. “They are very common, so much so, one in three Lankan women above 30 years will have fibroids. However, the risk of having a malignant change is very rare. Only less than 0.5% of uterine fibroids will have the risk of turning into cancer, hence women should not have unnecessary fears about them,” Dr. Fernando says.

Causes

Genetics and hormones largely influence fibroids and their growth. Estrogen and progesterone imbalance affect fibroid growth. When hormone production slows down during menopause, these fibroids usually shrink. “Family history, age and race are the other factors which could place a woman at a higher risk of developing them,” explains the obstetrician.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the size and site of the fibroid. Only about 30% of women with fibroids will have symptoms and the majority will be asymptomatic (not showing symptoms). “Some fibroids are so small and are of a size of a shirt button that they will go unnoticed and won’t cause any harm, while others grow in big masses and can affect the uterus and adjacent structures causing symptoms.”

If a fibroid is found inside the uterus or the uterine cavity, it could affect the menstrual cycle resulting in pain during menstruation, heavy periods and spotting (bleeding in between two cycles). “If a fibroid is found in a woman close to menopause and if it is not causing any menstrual or pressure symptoms, we usually wait until she reaches menopause without intervening because with low estrogen, the fibroids will naturally shrink.”

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is largely an incidental or accidental finding during a clinical examination. “During a routine pelvic exam a doctor may suspect fibroids if the shape of the uterus feels irregular or unusually large. Fibroids are also diagnosed during pregnancy when routine scans are done.”

Treatment

Treatment too depends on the age of the woman, size and site of the fibroid. The growth of most of the fibroids is very slow, usually about half a centimeter in two years, explains Dr. Fernando. “However, if the growth is very rapid within a short time, it could be worrying and we need to intervene to remove it.”

Although not a very common presentation, severe backache could also be a symptom of fibroids. “Some women with fibroids could also be anemic due to increased menstrual blood loss and in such instances, we address anemia as well.”

Fibroids are treated symptomatically. If a fibroid is found to be causing pain, heavy menstrual flow or pressure on other organs such as the bladder for example, (causing frequent urges to urinate or inability to control urine) investigations will be done to determine the best mode of treatment. “Treatment could be either with oral medication or surgery depending on the severity of each case.”

Fibroids and pregnancy

If fibroids larger than five centimeters are found in a woman before her pregnancy, they are usually surgically removed to avoid complications during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the blood supply to the womb is increased, hence removal of fibroids is very risky and is postponed until after the delivery. “After a pregnancy the hormone levels and the blood supply become less and the fibroids too tend to become smaller. There had been maternal deaths when trying to remove fibroids during cesarean operations because of the inability to control the heavy bleeding,” says the consultant.

Fibroids can cause foetal growth restrictions and premature labour in some women. The positioning of the baby could also be abnormal in some cases. “If the fibroid is found closer to the uterine cavity, there could be a higher risk of miscarrying and after normal delivery heavy bleeding (post-partum haemorrhage) is also common.

Types of surgery

There are many ways to treat fibroids. The treatment that works best for each woman will depend on symptoms, reproductive plans, age, and the site of fibroids in the womb. “In younger women with reproductive wishes (those who hope to get pregnant in future), we usually remove the fibroids with myomectomy. This type of surgery removes them while retaining the healthy tissue. Myomectomy could be performed in many ways from abdominal surgery to laparoscopy,” remarks Dr. Fernando.

Although several other non-surgical interventions including the latest high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device which was developed for treating uterine fibroid and drugs to shrink fibroids are available in other parts of the world, locally we are still limited to treating fibroids surgically with myomectomy (removal of the fibroid) or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), says the consultant.

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Life style

Emirates marks a significant milestone

Published

4 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Introducing A 350 on Colombo route

It was a breathtaking afternoon when Emirates welcomed the Sri Lankan media and industry leaders aboard its Airbus 350 to offer a taste of Emirates luxury travel experience recently.

This marked a significant milestone introducing an exciting new dimension in air travel to and from the destination of Colombo .

This aircraft combines next generation cabin design and exceptional passenger comfort paired with outstanding onboard services . Speaking to the media and industrial leaders, Esa Sulaiman Ahamed Senior Vice President West Asia and Indian Ocean Commercial Operations at Emirates said this new aircraft will bring a fresh experience to the Sri Lankan travellers. We’ve been in the market for 30 years, and he reaffirmed thier dedication to boost regional connectivity and tourism by deploying the A350 on the Colombo route. He highlighted that the introduction of A350 the largest aircraft in the Emirates fleet,to the Colombo route was a significant milestone

Emirates created a benchmark in air travelrecently by presenting the first experience on the Colombo Dubai route the A 350 which will now operate six days a week.

Emirates Premium economy was quite a luxury with interiors in cream coloured leather and wood panelling similar to the Business Class. The elegant cream and bronze cabin was accented with the significant ghaf tree motif Each 195 inch seat was designed to provide maximum comfort and supported with six way adjustable headrests and a generous recline.

Each seat has a wide screen, in addition to in seat charging points and a wood finished side cocktail table One of the hostesses gave the media an insight into the premium class dining experience. She said “There is a welcome drink served in fine glassware and a selection of meals made with seasonal ingredients served on Royal Doultan Cliver tableware with stainless cutlery. Premium economy customers are also offered an extended list of beverages she added. She highlighted its advanced features ,including mood lighting,noise reduction technology and the airlines award winning inflight entertainment system

The Emirates A350 aircraft offers three cabin classes with 32 next generation business class seats, 21 premium economy and 259 economy class seats.

This airline also showcased the latest in cabin innovation and all in all what we saw was maximum customer comfort. The other notable features included a newly designed more comfortable economy class ,upgraded business class and premium economy cabins with ultra responsive touchscreen, extra high quality high ceilings with wider aisles in all classes and faster wi-fi with uninterrupted across all A350 destinations all designed to make every journey a blend of style, comfort and sophiticated elegance. We were infomed that Emirates has 65 A350s joining its fleet in the years to come.

Emirates began operation in Sri Lanka in April 1986 and they have always supported the country’s tourism and expat industries with passenger and cargo services.

By Zanita Careem

: The cabin crew

: Second from left Deputy Airport Services Manager, Ornella Fernando,Management trainee Sharifa Almemari, Emirates senior VIP Commercial Operations, West Asia and Indian Ocean Esa Sulaiman A hmed, Country Manager Sri Lanka and Maldives, Rashid Al Ardha and Airport Services Manager Saleem Al Mansoori

Life style

Behind the sparkle

Published

4 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Nabeela Yaseen, founder of Stoned Jewellery shares her creative journeyfrom design inspiration to building a popular brand of her own Her exotic pieces of jewellery on display reflected her artistry and passion that defines her brand.

Nabeela Yaseen

Recently she had an exclusive Mother’s Day celebration with a display of her Stoned Jewellery collection at The Design Collective situated at Kirillapone . On display, were jewellery zones of beautifully crafted intricate jewellery with memory making experiences The atmosphere and ambience that was created that evening were of beauty, gratitude and sparkle.

The concept of Stoned Jewellery was established in 2019 by Nabeela Yaseen. The celebrations for Mothers Day at the Design Collective was titled “Get Mum Stoned” this dazzling soiree brought together great moments, a sense of camaraderie and of course a gemstone gift for every mum.

In true stoned style, the celebration that evening reflected individuality of each mother’s love to every daughteror son From customised keepsakes to heartfelt notes from their children, every gift was more than just a stone, but had a emotional story woven into it. There was also personalised jewellery zones where each mum received a gem stone with a momento in addition to memory making booths that turned emotions into tangible keepsakes,

We believe jewellery is more than an adornment, its connection, identity and magic have a powerful emotional appeal said Nabeela. This mothers’s day event event is our way of honouring the love of every mum said the founder. Stoned jewellery as told by Nabeela is a brand uprooted in emotion, individuality and conscious craftsmanship. Our designs are inspired by stones and stories . Our timeless pieces speak not just shine.

She stressed that the mission of the brand is to make every woman feel great in her own skin.

(ZC)

Pix by Thushara Attapathu

Life style

Saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild

Published

4 days ago

2025/05/18

Thilina Walpola

Nations Trust WNPS monthly lecture

Time is Running Out: Saving Sri Lanka’s vanishing wild from elephants to wildcats, from vanishing forests to fading oceans, and the silent extinction of endemics — Sri Lanka’s natural heritage is on the brink, and time is running out to save it lead by Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody, Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage, Prof Sampath Seneviratne and Jehan CanagaRetna,

Joined by project field researchers Gihani Hettiarachchi, Pavithra Attanayake, Thilina M. Kumarasiri and Upuli Madarasinghe 6 pm, Thursday, 22 May 2025, Jasmine Hall, BMICH

The WNPS calls on conservationists and changemakers to join a bold conversation about the future of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity.

Time is Running Out: Saving Sri Lanka’s Vanishing Wild

. This lecture will spotlight four critical, high-stakes conservation battles unfolding right now: the escalating Human-Elephant Conflict, the silent vanishing of Sri Lanka’s majestic wildcats, the urgent need for ecosystem restoration on land and sea, and the race against extinction for the country’s unique endemic species.

But this is no dry recital of facts. This will be a thought-provoking, no-holds-barred session that challenges, inspires, and empowers every participant. You’ll hear about real-world solutions driven by science, fieldwork, and community action — and most importantly, how you can be part of the fight.

This is not a lecture for the sidelines. It’s a rallying cry. Because when it comes to conservation in Sri Lanka, inaction is extinction.

The time to get involved, to act, to protect, and to restore, is now. Because for our wildlife, our forests, our oceans, and our children’s future — time really is running out.

Prof. Sevvandi Jayakody Chair of Sri Lanka’s National Mangrove Expert Committee and Marine Conservation Lead at WNPS, Sevvandi is a driving force behind blue carbon and mangrove restoration initiatives.

Prof. Enoka Kudavidanage

A respected conservation biologist and Co-Chair of the WNPS Wild Cats Subcommittee, she brings deep expertise in Sri Lanka’s ecosystem dynamics.

Prof. Sampath Seneviratne

Attached to the University of Colombo. He also is a research scientist, a forester, a conservationist, and a public communicator. He loves birding, tracking wildlife & planting.

Jehan CanagaRetna Immediate Past President of WNPS, Jehan is a seasoned conservation advocate. A passionate voice for human-elephant coexistence, Jehan chairs the WNPS HEC Subcommittee.

With sharing of insights from the field work on key conservation initiatives Gihani Hettiarachchi Project Coordinator researching human-wildlife coexistence, Gihani leads leopard conservation efforts with a people-focused approach through WNPS–LOLC.

Pavithra Attanayake Senior Executive at WNPS PLANT

, Pavi drives science-based, community-led ecosystem restoration and education with over eight years’ experience.

Thilina M. Kumarasiri Biologist and MPhil researcher,

Thilina leads mangrove restoration work, championing blue carbon ecosystem conservation in Sri Lanka.

Upuli Madarasinghe Field officer at the HEC Centre,

Upuli bridges communities and conservation, pioneering grassroots solutions to human-elephant conflict.

This lecture will be held on 22nd May g-et inspired by science, stories from the field, and real-world solutions. Be part of the change — before time runs out

The lecture is supported by Nations Trust Bank and is open to both members and non members, Entrance Free