My Backstory

I’m a 33-year-old woman currently living in Toronto, Canada. I first found out I had fibroids in 2014. I was experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding, fatigue and painful cramps, so I saw a gynaecologist who identified a single fibroid. At the time, I was told it wasn’t affecting my fertility and that I should return when I was ready to start trying for children.

Over the following years, my symptoms worsened. I experienced heavy periods, significant pelvic pain and iron-deficiency anaemia. In 2019, I saw a specialist in London, England, who prescribed a combination of medications and hormonal birth control to manage my symptoms until I was ready to conceive.

By early 2025, I was married, living in Canada and ready to start a family. I saw a specialist to reassess my situation and was found to have at least eight fibroids, including a 5 cm intramural fibroid and a 3.7 cm subserosal fibroid. I was told that the fibroids weren’t significant enough to interfere with conception and that I would be closely monitored if I became pregnant. I was given a 12-month window to try to conceive naturally before we would reassess.

At 32, I found that timeline concerning, so I sought a second opinion in October 2025. That ultrasound showed that the largest fibroid had grown to almost 9 cm, and I now had at least 15 fibroids. The second doctor took a very clinical and detached approach, presenting the risks of removing the fibroids versus leaving them in place as roughly 50/50 and leaving the decision entirely to me. The fibroids could potentially impede fertility and increase miscarriage risk, or they might not. I didn’t feel any personal connection with the doctor, and I didn’t feel like I mattered as a patient.

So I returned to my original doctor, who reassured me that it was reasonable to try to conceive because my fibroids showed signs of degeneration and none exceeded 10 cm. My husband and I decided to try to conceive with the fibroids still in place. Our understanding was that the miscarriage risk wasn’t significantly different from an uncomplicated pregnancy, while removing the fibroids first carried a risk of scar tissue that could make conception more difficult.

I became pregnant in February 2026.

When Everything Changed

We waited until after the first trimester to share the news with our family, since that is when the risk of miscarriage drops. I was closely monitored throughout the pregnancy, and every ultrasound showed that the fibroids weren’t restricting the baby’s growth. They continued to show signs of calcification, or degeneration.

We passed the first-trimester milestone and were beginning to feel that the pregnancy was going to stick. Unfortunately, in May 2026, at 18 weeks and two days, I experienced preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). My waters broke without warning or labour symptoms.

I had to deliver, and the baby was too young to survive.

The placenta could not be delivered afterwards, and I required a dilation and curettage (D&C). What was expected to take about 30 minutes ended up taking nearly two hours. The placenta was stuck to my uterus, and the fibroids obstructed its removal. The surgical team had to bring in another OB-GYN with an ultrasound machine to map my uterus, and they needed additional instruments to reach deep enough to retrieve the retained tissue. Afterwards, one of the junior surgeons told me that they had to work extensively because the fibroids had impeded the procedure and blocked access to the placenta. She suspected that the placenta had implanted onto a fibroid.

A few weeks later, my pathology report confirmed that the cause of the miscarriage was fetal vascular malperfusion. I had no infection, no gestational diabetes and no blood pressure issues. The placenta simply wasn’t delivering adequate blood flow and nutrients to the baby, and I was told the most likely cause was that it had implanted on a fibroid.

Deciding What to Do Next

My husband and I then had to decide what to do next. The specialist at the Toronto hospital where I had my D&C told me there was no clear evidence that fibroids would affect a future pregnancy and that the decision to remove them or try again with them was up to me. But I knew I wasn’t willing to take that risk again.

So I began researching my options.

Choosing a Hospital

I reached out to my community and gathered recommendations. My priorities, in order of importance, were:

• Preserving my fertility
• Finding a surgeon with strong experience specifically in open myomectomies. I knew I would need an open myomectomy because of the size of the fibroids.
• Understanding the details of the surgery, including the incision type, anaesthesia approach and expected procedure length
• Recovery time
• Knowing what support facilities the hospital had in place in case of an emergency
• Understanding when I could realistically start trying to conceive again

I researched extensively and received recommendations for hospitals in India, Dubai, the UK and Nigeria.

The most consistent recommendation I received was: “Go see Dr Fadipe at Duchess International Hospital, he’ll take care of you,” and “Duchess has the best facilities.”

I wanted a doctor who would genuinely advocate for me, rather than treat my situation as a routine, one-size-fits-all procedure. I met with three doctors in total: one in Canada and two in Nigeria. The other doctors I consulted took a more clinical approach and didn’t offer me the same personalised reassurance.

From my first interactions with Dr Fadipe, I could tell that he was passionate about his job and genuinely cared about his patients. We connected instantly, and I knew he would be my surgeon.

My Experience at Duchess

A Patient Experience Manager, Tomide, was assigned to me and coordinated the hospital registration and consultation process seamlessly. This was a little complex because everything was done virtually. I needed to time my surgery within a specific window relative to my first menstrual cycle after the miscarriage, complete reassessment tests beforehand, and observe a minimum recovery period before flying home.

Tomide and Dr Fadipe managed all of this smoothly. I flew into Lagos on 15 July, completed my pre-surgical testing and checked in on the evening of 16 July. I had surgery on 17 July, was discharged after three days and flew back home exactly three weeks after my surgery.

My initial consultation with Dr Fadipe was done virtually. I shared my full history, and he was attentive and empathetic throughout. He walked me through the entire surgical procedure, the risks and mitigation strategies, how the operation would be performed, the size of the surgical team, how many units of blood would be on standby and the hospital’s emergency protocols. He explained everything in detail, and I was incredibly impressed. My husband and I left the consultation feeling confident in both Dr Fadipe and the hospital.

The day before surgery, I had my vitals checked, blood work done, and a repeat ultrasound to get an updated picture. I also had in-person consultations with Dr Fadipe, my OB-GYN, and Dr Efe, an anaesthesiologist. Dr Efe explained that the planned anaesthesia approach would be a combined spinal-epidural. He walked me through the hospital’s safety protocols in case of an emergency, discussed pain management options and explained what to expect and how to signal if I needed additional pain relief.

I signed my consent forms and was admitted that evening, with surgery scheduled for the morning of 17 July.

Surgery Day

The nursing team prepared me around 7 a.m. My husband stayed with me in the designated waiting area until I was taken to the theatre, giving us time to pray together beforehand. I let the surgical team know that I was a nervous patient, and they were reassuring throughout. They even asked what music I wanted to listen to during the surgery. I requested Asake’s latest album!

One nurse, Nurse Aisha, was especially attentive to my comfort and dignity while I changed into my theatre gown. Everyone on the team introduced themselves and explained their role. My anaesthesia team, Dr Okonkwo and Dr Josiah, stayed near my head throughout the procedure. I was sedated before receiving the combined spinal-epidural and didn’t feel the needle at all. Three surgeons were present for my procedure, which I understand is standard practice at Duchess for open myomectomies. This gave me additional comfort.

The atmosphere in the theatre was calm and positive throughout. I was conscious but sedated, and we were cracking jokes and generally having a good time.

The surgery took approximately 3.5 hours, during which 23 fibroids were removed.

Dr Fadipe explained that removing the fibroids itself was relatively quick and that most of the time was spent carefully suturing the uterus to ensure proper healing. The team kept my husband updated throughout the procedure. I came out of surgery in good spirits. I FaceTimed a couple of my friends and family, and they couldn’t believe I had just been wheeled out of the theatre. That’s how good and grateful I was feeling.

Post-Operative Care

After a short while in the recovery room, they moved me to my room on the sixth floor, which truly felt like a five-star hotel. I had a private ensuite bathroom, two televisions, a large seating area and a wardrobe. When I arrived, my family was already there having lunch that the hospital had provided. We all kept forgetting ourselves and calling the hospital “the hotel,” as if it were actually a hotel! I also had a dedicated butler who took meal orders, and there was a second bed for my husband to stay with me overnight.

Recovery

I’d told the team beforehand that I have a low pain tolerance and asked for strong pain management, but I ended up not needing it. I was walking and using the bathroom independently within 24 hours of surgery, and my pain levels remained minimal throughout. I wasn’t allowed to eat for a day or two because my doctors wanted my abdominal muscles to recover naturally first, so I progressed gradually from water, to tea, to pap and then to soft foods.

I received pain medication and antibiotics on a regular schedule, and my blood pressure was checked roughly every four hours. Every nurse introduced themselves and clearly explained each medication and treatment.

My three surgeons came in every morning to check on me and sometimes came again in the evening just to make sure I was okay. I don’t know if it was because I had made such a big deal about having zero threshold for pain, but my doctors really took it seriously. They were very adamant that I shouldn’t be in pain and were always checking in to make sure I wasn’t.

I was discharged three days after surgery, and I felt great. I was walking comfortably with minimal pain. By seven days post-op, I was able to drive a short distance without complications, and I even hosted a get-together with friends. People couldn’t tell I had just had surgery. My incision was closed beautifully, barely visible, and healed cleanly with little scarring.

Two weeks after surgery, I had stopped using the pain medication I was given and had resumed my regular activities.

My Final Thoughts

I’d like to thank my amazing team: Dr Fadipe, Dr Bisi, Dr Lawal, Dr Okonkwo, Dr Josiah, Dr Efe, Dr Ojo, Mrs Ladipo, Tomide, Nurse Miriam, Nurse Iyanu, HCA Gift, HCA Elizabeth and Tola.

I would rate the overall care I received a 10 out of 10.

At Duchess, I felt genuinely seen as a person, not just as a diagnosis. I was never dismissed or made to feel like I was overreacting. They always took my concerns seriously and made sure I was comfortable.

Choosing Duchess was the right decision for me and my family.

I’d recommend it to any woman weighing her options for fibroid surgery. If you’ve been on the fence, I’d encourage you to consult with the doctors there directly and see the facilities for yourself.

I’m sharing this story in such detail because, after my miscarriage, I felt lost and didn’t know where to turn. I spent a lot of time searching online forums for other women who had been through something similar.

I hope this account helps anyone navigating a similar diagnosis or decision.

There is hope, and excellent, compassionate care available in Nigeria.

This patient story is shared with the consent of the patient and family.

Explore Our Womens Health Services

If you’re living with fibroids, planning a pregnancy, or have concerns about your reproductive health, We provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and personalised care to help you understand your options and make informed decisions about your health.