Menstrual cycle abnormalities

Question 1

What is Menorrhagia?

Answer 1

Bleeding volume > 80 mL and/or length of menstruation > 7 days

Question 2

What is Hypermenorrhea?

Answer 2

Heavy menstruation with bleeding volume > 150 mL (possibly visible blood clots)

Question 3

What are the investigations for menstrual cycle abnormalities?

Answer 3

Abdominal, Bimanual examination 
Cervical swabs (e.g. gonorrhoea/chlamydial infection causing cervicitis) 
Beta-HCG rule out pregnancy, CBC rule out anemia

Question 4

What is primary dysmenorrhea?

Answer 4

Primary dysmenorrhea: recurrent lower abdominal pain shortly before or during menstruation (in the absence of pathologic findings that could account for those symptoms)

Question 5

What is secondary dysmenorrhea

Answer 5

Secondary dysmenorrhea: Recurrent lower abdominal pain shortly before or during menstruation that is due to an underlying condition

Question 6

What causes primary dysmenorrhea?

Answer 6

Release of prostaglandin after progesterone withdrawal during menstruation. Leads to vasoconstriction and muscle contraction