Bleeding Flashcards
1
Q
Menstuation
A
- In most women age 20-40 years, menstrual cycles are consistent and last 24-35 days, with menstrual flow ranging from 4-6 days
- adolescents typically have an immature hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis for several years following menarche
- During this time, they may have longer menstrual cycles and irregular bleeding patterns due to the presence of anovulatory cycles.
- In the absence of ovulation, the ovarian follicle does not degenerate and become a corpus luteum.
- As a result, no progesterone is produced and estrogen levels remain persistently high, causing the endometrium to remain in the proliferative phase.
- Chronically proliferative endometrium becomes disorganized and fragile with unstable venous capillaries, resulting in irregular periods of stromal breakdown with variable, but often heavy, bleeding.
- In a normal ovulatory cycle, estrogen stimulates endometrial proliferation and progesterone stimulates endometrial secretory changes in preparation for implantation
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2
Q
post-menopausal women or in premature ovarian failure
A
- Increased follicle-stimulating hormone secretion
