Endometriosis Flashcards
What is the endometrium and myometrium
Endometrium- muscular inner lining of the uterus
Myometrium- muscular outer layer of the uterus
What is the role of the female hormone progesterone
Maintains the uterine lining
What happens if the egg isn’t fertilised in the womb
The corpus luteum breaks down, progesterone levels drop and menstruation occurs
What happens with progesterone if the woman is pregnant
The corpus luteum continues producing progesterone until the placenta develops which then maintains progesterone production throughout pregnancy
What is endometriosis
A disease in which cells similar t0 the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus
What is the difference between superficial and deep endometriosis
Superficial- endo is on the surface of the organ
Deep- endo is invading into the muscle of the organ
What are thee statistics of women who have endo
Estimated to effect 10% of women, roughly 190 million women and girls
When are you most likely to be diagnosed with endo
Between the ages of 18-29 years
What cure is there for endo
Medical and surgical treatmentents can alleviate symptoms, reported reoccurrence rates after surgery vary between 6 and 67%
What are the 6 theoretical causes for endometriosis
Retrograde menstruation, genetic predisposition, lymphatic or circulatory spread, immune dysfunction, environmental causes, metaplasia
What are 3 common symptoms of endometriosis
Pain in stomach and lower back, pain during urination/ bowel movements, constipation/ diarrhoea
What treatment may a gp offer to ease discomfort
-birth control
-painkillers
-heat therapy
-physiotherapy
What are the steps to getting endo diagnosed
See a gp, they may do a physical exam and ultrasound, they may then refer you to a gynaecologist, the next step would be a key hole surgery such as laparoscopy
