Effects of obesity on the development of uterine leiomyomata: a retrospective study of 169 women who had myomectomy in southern Nigeria

Abstract

This is a retrospective study of 169 women who had myomectomy for symptomatic uterine leiomyomata in Lagos, Nigeria between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012. This study aimed at ascertaining the relationship between uterine leiomyomata and obesity. The patients in this series were in their reproductive age with peak incidence amongst the 35-44 years age group (57.23% of study population). Majority of these subjects (69.16%) were obese (BMI ≥ 25 in this series). They were predominantly nulliparous women (83.23%) and mostly of the middle socioeconomic class. There was no statistical significant difference between social class and obesity, duration of symptom and preoperative uterine size, parity and pre-operative uterine size, parity and number of fibroid nodules shelled out at surgery, and between obesity and the number of fibroids shelled out at surgery. The commonest post-operative complications were haemorrhage (42.86%), anaemia (32.65%), sepsis (12.24%) and wound dehiscence (10.20%). A statistical significant association exists between obesity and development of post-operative complications but NOT in the overall morbidity of patients with fibroids in terms of duration of hospitalization. In conclusion, obesity does not appear to influence growth of uterine leiomyomata but impacts significantly on occurrence of post-operative complications.