Life after myomectomy in Nigeria: recovery, body changes and pregnancy

Most women feel much better after a myomectomy. Periods are often lighter, and pain or pressure from the fibroids usually eases. Recovery takes about a week after surgery through the vagina (hysteroscopic), 2 to 6 weeks after keyhole surgery and about 6 to 8 weeks after open surgery. Pregnancy is usually still possible, and doctors generally advise waiting 3 to 6 months before trying.

Recovery: what to expect, week by week

Typical times from NHS hospital patient leaflets. Your surgeon will give you advice for your own recovery.

• Lifting: nothing heavy for 4 to 6 weeks after keyhole surgery, or 6 to 8 weeks after open surgery.
• Driving: usually from about 2 weeks after keyhole surgery and 4 to 6 weeks after open surgery, once you can brake hard without pain.
• Exercise: short walks from the first days. Swimming, cycling and the gym after 4 to 6 weeks (keyhole) or 6 to 8 weeks (open).
• Sex: after about 4 to 6 weeks following keyhole surgery, once any discharge has stopped after hysteroscopic surgery, and when you feel ready after open surgery (many women wait for their check-up).
• Flying home: UK aviation guidance advises waiting about 10 days after open surgery and about 24 hours after keyhole surgery. Most international patients plan two to three weeks in India so the surgeon can check the wound before they fly.

Body changes after myomectomy

• Periods. Your first one or two periods may come early or late and can be heavier or more painful than usual. In the longer term, periods are often lighter.
• Bleeding after surgery. Light bleeding is normal for 1 to 2 weeks. After hysteroscopic surgery, a discharge can last 3 to 4 weeks. Use pads, not tampons.
• A swollen tummy. Some swelling and cramping is normal at first and settles as you heal. Pressure on the bladder and bowel from the fibroids usually improves.
• Your scar. Open surgery usually leaves a scar along the bikini line. Keyhole surgery leaves three or four small scars. Some people form thick, raised scars (keloids).
• Tiredness and anaemia. Feeling tired in the first couple of weeks is common. If heavy periods left you anaemic, you may need iron tablets for a few months.
• Your feelings. Relief, worry and low mood are all normal after surgery. Talk to your doctor if low mood lasts.

Possible complications

Every operation has risks. NHS hospital leaflets give these figures:

• Open myomectomy: about 10 to 15 in 100 women need a blood transfusion, and about 1 in 50 operations become a hysterectomy because of bleeding. Infections affect 10 to 20 in 100, and are usually treated with antibiotics.
• Keyhole myomectomy: about 4 to 5 in 100 women need a blood transfusion, and about 2 in 100 operations change to open surgery. Injury to the bladder, bowel or a blood vessel happens in fewer than 3 in 1,000.
• Scar tissue (adhesions) can form inside the tummy and usually causes no symptoms.
• An unexpected cancer. Rarely, a growth thought to be a fibroid turns out to be a cancer called a sarcoma. One NHS leaflet puts this at fewer than 3 in 1,000. Ask your surgeon how the fibroids will be removed during keyhole surgery.

Can fibroids come back after a myomectomy?

Yes. A myomectomy removes the fibroids you have, but new ones can grow while you still have periods. In a large US study, about 1 in 5 women had another fibroid treatment within 5 years. It is more likely in younger women and in women who had many fibroids.

Pregnancy after myomectomy

• When to try: most NHS leaflets advise waiting at least 3 months, and some surgeons advise up to 6 months, so the womb can heal. Your surgeon will tell you what is right for you.
• Womb tearing in pregnancy (uterine rupture): this is uncommon, at around 1 in 100 pregnancies. It is more likely if you become pregnant within a year of surgery.
• Caesarean birth: often advised if the surgery went deep into the womb wall or opened the womb cavity. Tell your antenatal team about your myomectomy and show them your operation notes.
• Fertility: removing fibroids that bulge into the womb can improve the chance of pregnancy. For other fibroids, the benefit is less clear.

Pregnancy after myomectomy at 40 or over

Fertility falls with age, and faster after 37. Over 40, fertility specialists advise tests and treatment straight away rather than waiting. If you are 40 or over and want a baby:

• Ask for an egg reserve check (an AMH blood test and a scan) before surgery. It shows how many eggs are left, though not their quality.
• Ask whether IVF or freezing embryos before surgery makes sense for you, because the 3 to 6 month wait after surgery uses up time.
• Expect lower success rates. In the UK, about 1 in 10 IVF embryo transfers leads to a birth at ages 40 to 42.

Warning signs after surgery

Also get help for a red, leaking or opening wound, a smelly discharge, or pain and swelling in one leg.

Myomectomy cost in Nigeria, and why some women choose India

If you live in Nigeria, surgery at home often costs less than travelling. Recent reports put a myomectomy at about ₦500,000 to ₦3 million, and keyhole surgery at about ₦2 to ₦3 million. Keyhole surgery is offered mainly at a few private centres in Lagos, Abuja and other big cities.

In India, a myomectomy at hospitals that treat international patients costs about US$3,000 (approx.) for open surgery and US$3,400 (approx.) for keyhole surgery. Women travel from Nigeria for:

• keyhole and robotic surgery, done routinely in large Indian hospitals
• teams experienced with large or many fibroids
• surgery dates without a long wait
• a written quote before you travel

How it works with MedPanda, from Nigeria to India

1. Free consultation. Tell us about your fibroids and your plans for pregnancy. We explain your options and what to prepare.
2. Scans reviewed before you travel. A gynaecologist at a partner hospital looks at your scans and suggests the type of surgery.
3. Written quote and plan, so you know the cost and how long to stay.
4. Visas, travel and a place to stay arranged for you and a companion, including airport pick-up.
5. Surgery in India, then a check of your wound and recovery before you fly home.
6. Lifetime Health Passport. Your operation notes, scans and discharge papers are kept together in one place. You will need them if you become pregnant.
7. Home with a plan. Your records go to your doctor at home, and we stay in touch while you recover.

Travelling from Nigeria? Nigerian passport holders apply for an Indian medical visa through the High Commission in Abuja or the Consulate in Lagos, and you need your original yellow fever certificate.

Partner hospitals offering fibroid surgery

These partner hospitals list myomectomy or fibroid surgery on their own websites:

• Aster Medcity, Kochi
• Aster MIMS, Kozhikode
• Apollo Adlux Hospital, Kochi
• Medical Trust Hospital, Kochi
• Apollo Hospitals, Chennai
• Gleneagles Hospitals, Mumbai
• Artemis Hospitals, Gurugram

Frequently asked questions

Checked by Dr Sreeraj K.V (MBBS, DNB), Reg. No. 93547, on 18 October 2026.
MedPanda is a care-coordination service. We don’t diagnose or give medical advice. Your treating doctor decides what treatment, if any, is right for you.