Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Flashcards
What is Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
Excessive menstrual loss which interferes with a woman’s quality of life
What percentage of women experience Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
3%
What age group of women are most affected by Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
40-51 years old
What is the mnemonic used to divide the different causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
Palm-Coein
What does the PALM bit of the Palm-Coein mnemonic mean?
Structural causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding:
P – Polyp
A – Adenomyosis
L – Leiomyoma (Fibroid)
M – Malignancy / hyperplasia
What does the COEIN bit of the Palm-Coein mnemonic mean?
Non-structural causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding:
C – Coagulopathy
O – Ovulatory dysfunction
E – Endometrial
I – Iatrogenic
N – Not yet classified
What are the main risk factors for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding? (2 things)
- Age
- Obesity
What are the CF of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding? (3 things)
- Bleeding
- Fatigue
- SOB (if associated anaemia)
What are you looking for @ examination of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding patient? (4 things)
- Pallor (anaemia)
- Palpable uterus / pelvic mass
- Inflamed cervix / cervical polyp / tumour
- Vaginal tumour
What are you suspecting if a Heavy Menstrual Bleeding patient has an irregular uterus @ examination?
Fibroids
What are you suspecting if a Heavy Menstrual Bleeding patient has a tender uterus / cervical excitation @ examination? (2 things)
- Adenomyosis
- Endometriosis
What are the differential diagnoses for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding? (9 things)
- Pregnancy
- Endometrial / cervical polyps
- Adenomyosis
- Fibroids
- Malignancy / endometrial hyperplasia
- Coagulopathy
- Ovarian dysfunction
- Iatrogenic causes
- Endometriosis
What are the CF of Endometrial / cervical polyps? (3 things)
- Intermenstrual bleeding
- Post-coital bleeding
- NOT associated w dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
What are the CF of Adenomyosis? (2 things)
- Dysmenorrhea
- Bulky uterus (@ exam)
What are the CF of Fibroids? (2 things)
- Hx of pressure symptoms (e.g urinary frequency)
- Bulky uterus (@ exam)
What is the most common Coagulopathy to cause Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?
Von Willebrand’s disease
What are the CF of Von Willebrand’s disease? (5 things)
- HMB since menarche
- PPH Hx
- Surgical / dental related bleeding (bleeding gums)
- Easy bruising / epistaxis
- Bleeding disorder FHx
What should you consider for pt w Von Willebrand’s disease?
Warfarin (anti-coagulant)
What are the most common causes of Ovarian dysfunction? (2 things)
- PCOS
- Hypothyroidism
What are the iatrogenic causes of HMB? (2 things)
- Contraceptive hormones
- Copper IUD
What percentage of all HMB does Endometriosis represent?
Less than 5%
What investigations should you do for HMB? (5 things)
- Urine pregnancy test
- FBC
- TFT
- Hormone tests (e.g if sus PCOS)
- Coag screen (+ check for Von Willebrand’s) if sus
Why should you do a FBC for HMB?
Anaemia presents after 120ml menstrual blood loss