Gynaecology Flashcards
Define Subfertility
When a couple have not conceived after a year of regular unprotected intercourse (15% affected)
What is ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ failure to conceive?
Primary- the female has never conceived.
Secondary- the female has previously conceived (even if the pregnancy ended in miscarriage or termination).
What are the 4 basic conditions required for pregnancy?
- An egg must be produced. (Failure is anovulation).
- Adequate sperm must be released. (Failure is ‘male factor’ problems).
- The sperm must reach the egg.
- The fertilised egg (embryo) must implant.
What are the 6 contributors to subfertility?
- Ovulatory Problems (30%)
- Male Problems (25%)
- Tubal Problems (25%)
- Coital Problems (5%)
- Cervical Problems (<5%)
- Unexplained (30%)
Briefly summarise the process of ovulation:
- Low oestrogen levels –> hypothalamic GnRH stimulates anterior pituitary to produce FSH + LH
- This causes maturation of follicles in the ovary –> follicles produce oestradiol which suppresses LH + FSH when at intermediate amount–> one follicle survives
- Follicle matures –> more oestradiol –> high levels cause positive feedback so LH + FSH levels increase rapidly –> LH peak causes ripe follicle to rupture (ovulation)
- Follicle is now corpus luteum –> releases oestrogen + progesterone to maintain secretory endothelium for implantation. If this does not occur then the corpus luteum involutes + hormone levels fall –> menstruation
- If implantation does occur –> hCG produced by trophoblast tissue acts on corpus luteum to maintain oestrogen and progesterone production until the feto-placental unit takes over around 8-10 weeks
How is ovulation detected?
- History (regular cycles, vaginal spotting + pelvic pain/discharge around time of ovulation
- Examination (temperature changes during cycle- temperature chart)
- Investigations (elevated serum progesterone levels in mid-luteal phase, USS to monitor follicular growth, urine predictor kits for LH surge)
What are the causes of anovulation?
- PCOS
- Hypothalamic Hypogonadism
- Hyperprolactinaemia
- Thyroid Disease
- Premature Ovarian Failure
What criteria is needed for PCOS diagnosis?
2 out of the following 3:
- Polycystic Ovary on USS
- Irregular Periods (>35 days apart)
- Hirsutism (Clinical (acne/excess body hair) and/or biochemical (raised serum testosterone))
What is the characteristic transvaginal USS appearance of polycystic ovary?
Multiple (12+) small (2-8mm) follicles in an enlarged ovary.
How does PCOS present clinically?
- Nothing
- Subfertility
- Oligomenorrhoea/ amenorrhoea
- Obesity
- Miscarriage
How is PCOS investigated? (4 things)
- Exclude alternative causes for symptoms
- Transvaginal ultrasound scan
- Bloods (FSH (normal), Prolactin, TSH, LH, Testosterone (raised))
- Fasting lipids + glucose to screen for complications
What are the 2 complications of PCOS?
- Type 2 diabetes
2. Endometrial Cancer
How are PCOS symptoms treated (not including infertility)?
- Advice about diet and exercise (weight loss)
- COCP to regulate menstruation (or mirena IUS) + treat hirsutism (if fertility not required)
- Antiandrogens (cyproterone acetate or spironolactone) for hirsutism
- Metformin to reduce insulin (therefore reduce androgens + hirsutism)
- Eflornithine (topical antiandrogen for facial hirsutism)
What can cause hypothalamic hypogonadism and how is it managed?
- Anorexia nervosa
- Dieting, athletes, stress
Restore body weight to restore hypothalamic function. Gonadotrophins if weight normal
What causes hyperprolactinaemia and how is it managed?
Causes: benign tumours (adenomas), hyperplasia of pituitary cells, PCOS, hypothyroidism, psychotropic drugs
Management: dopamine agonist (cabergoline/bromocriptine) will inhibit prolactin release
How is ovulation induced in PCOS?
- Weight loss + Lifestyle changes. Then…
- Clomifene (antioestrogen- first line) . If it fails add…
- Metformin, gonadotrophins, ovarian diathermy.
- If no success then IVF
What are the side effects of ovulation induction?
- Multiple pregnancy
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
- Ovarian + Breast Carcinoma
Briefly outline physiology of sperm production:
- Spermatogenesis dependent on pituitary LH + FSH (LH acts largely via testosterone production in the Leydig cells of the testis
- FSH + testosterone control Sertoli cells –> involved in synthesis + transport of sperm
- Testosterone + other steroids inhibit LH release
- It takes 70 days for sperm to develop fully
How is sperm production detected?
Semen Analysis
If normal result- virtually excludes male cause for infertility
If abnormal- do again in 12 weeks
If persistently abnormal- examination + investigations follow
What are the common causes of abnormal/absent sperm release
- Idiopathic oligospermia/ asthenozoospermia (common)
- Drug exposure (alcohol, smoking, drugs, exposure to industrial chemicals)
- Varicocoele
- Genetic abnormalities
- Anti-sperm antibodies
- Other (infections, mumps orchitis, testicular abnormalities, obstruction to delivery etc.)
How is male factor investigated and treated?
Semen analysis (if abnormal then repeat and examine scrotum and optimise lifestyle factors).
If oligospermic: intrauterine insemination
If moderate to severe oligospermia: IVF +/- ICSI
If azoospermic: examine for presence of vas deferens (CF). Check karyotype, CF, hormone profile. Surgical sperm retrieval then IVF + ICSI or donor insemination
Briefly describe the physiology of fertilisation:
- At ovulation, the fallopian tubes move so that fimbrial end collects the oocyte from ovary.
- Peristaltic contractions and cilia in the tube help sweep the oocyte toward the sperm (blockage or ciliary damage will prevent this).
- At ejaculation, millions of sperm enter vagina. The cervical mucus helps them get through the cervix.
What causes failure to fertilise?
- Tubal Damage (infection (PID), endometriosis, previous surgery/sterilisation)
- Cervical Problems (antibody production, infection, cone biopsy)
- Sexual Problems (impotence etc.)
How is tubal damage detected?
- Laparoscopy + Dye Test (with hysteroscopy done first)
2. Hystersalpingogram (HSG)- preferred as less invasive + safer
What are the different types of assisted conception?
- Intrauterine Insemination
2. IVF (potentially also involves ICSI, oocyte donation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, and surrogacy)
What are the 3 complications of assisted conception?
- Superovulation
- Difficult egg collection
- Pregnancy complications (chromosome/gene abnormalities)
What is the pathology./aetiology of PCOS?
PCO is genetic
Peripheral insulin resistance –> raised fasting insulin (made worse by obesity)
Increased LH secretion
Increased androgen production –> hirsutism/acne
Define vaginal prolapse:
Descent of the uterus and/or vaginal walls beyond normal anatomical confines
What are the different types of vaginal prolapse?
- Urethrocoele: prolapse of lower anterior vaginal wall (urethra only)
- Cystocoele: prolapse of the upper anterior vaginal wall (bladder only)
- Cystourethrocoele: both bladder + uterus
- Apical Prolapse: prolapse of the uterus, cervix, upper vagina (vaginal vault prolapse after hysterectomy)
- Enterocoele: prolapse of upper posterior vaginal wall (pouch of Douglas)
- Rectocoele: prolapse of the lower posterior vaginal wall
Give 5 causes of uterovaginal prolapse:
- Vaginal delivery + pregnancy
- Congenital factors (Ehler-Danlos syndrome)
- Menopause
- Chronic disposing factors
- Iatrogenic factors
What are the symptoms of prolapse?
Often asymptomatic
General Symptoms: dragging sensation, vaginal lump
Cystourethrocoele: urinary frequency, incontinence
Rectocoele: occasional difficulty in defecating.
How is uterovaginal prolapse prevented?
- Pelvic floor exercises
2. Improved management of labour (avoid excessively long second stage).
How is uterovaginal prolapse treated?
- General: lose weight, treat chest problems for cough (stop smoking etc.)
- Pessaries (medical): ring or shelf. Change 6-9 monthly
- Surgery
Hysteropexy/ vaginal hysterectomy for uterine prolapse.
Anterior repair for cystocoele, posterior repair for rectocoele
Sacrospinous fixation or sacrocolpopexy for vault prolapse
Consider surgery for stress incontinence
What is the function of the cervix?
- Connects the uterus + vagina: allowing sperm in and menstrual flow out
- In pregnancy it holds the foetus in the uterus and then dilates in labour to allow delivery
How does the histology of the cervix leave it prone to neoplastic change?
- The squamocolumnar junction is where the columnar epithelium meets the squamous epithelium in the cervix.
- During puberty + pregnancy eversion of the cervix occurs. The lower pH of the vagina causes the exposed columnar epithelium to undergo metaplasia to squamous epithelium (the transformation zone)
- Cells undergoing metaplasia are vulnerable to agents that induce neoplastic change (HPV), this is where cervical cancer commonly originates.
List some benign conditions of the cervix:
- Cervical ectropion
- Acute cervicitis
- Chronic cervicitis
- Cervical polyps
- Nabothian follicles
- Congenital malformations
What is CIN and how is it graded?
CIN: presence of atypical cells within the squamous epithelium
CIN I (mild): atypical cells in the lower 1/3 of epithelium
CIN II (moderate): atypical cells in the lower 2/3 of epithelium
CIN III (severe): atypical cells occupy the full thickness of epithelium (malignancy happens if these abnormal cells invade the BM)
What causes CIN/cervical cancer?
- HPV (types 16, 18, 31, 33)
- Oral contraceptive usage
- Smoking
- Immunocompromise (HIV, long term steroid use)
How often should cervical smears done?
25-49: every 3 years
50-64: every 5 years
65: only if not been screened since 50 or had recent abnormal result