Menstrual Disorders Flashcards
What is puberty?
The onset of sexual maturity marked by the development of 2ndary sexual characteristics
How does puberty get triggered?
Hypothalamic-pituitary axis - “wakes” then “wakes up” the ovaries
What is happening in the body from 8 years of age?
GnRH pulses increase => FSH/LH increase => oestrogen increases => responsible for the dev of 2nddary sexual characteristics
What is precocious puberty?
Secondary sexual characteristics before age 8 and menstruation before age 9
What is delayed puberty?
No sexual secondary characteristics by age 14 and no mensuration by age 16
What are the stages of puberty?
What hormonal feedback plays a role in puberty?
Low estrogen levels have a + feedback on thalamus = encourage secretion of FSH & LH
Intermediate estrogen levels have a - feedback on GnRH = less LH & FSH
Higher estrogen levels have a + feedback on LH & FSH
LH surger happens about …hours before ovulation
Corpus luutheum = produces estrogen and progesterone but relaivtively high levels of progesterone
What are the 5 stages of puberty?
- growth spurt (~11yrs)
- thelarche = breast dev
- adrenarche = pubic hair dev
- menarche = average 13yrs is reducing
- axillary hair growth
Usually this order but variations can occur
When does the growth spurt last till in puberty?
Up until 15-16 years
How is menstruation at the start of puberty?
Irregular at first - anovulatory cycles: prior to maturation of feedback loop between ovaries and pituitary/hypothalamus, then becomes regular
What do hormonal changes in the menstural cycle lead to?
- ovulation
- endometrial changes (preparing for implantation)
What are the stages of the menstrual cycle?
What part of the menstural cycle is consistently the same length regardless of overall cycle length?
Secretory/luteal phase is a constant 14 days
What are the different parts of the menstrual cycle?
Days 1-4: menstruation: endometrium shed, myometrium contracts
Day 5-13: proliferative/follicular phase:
Days 14-28: secretory/luteal phase:
What are the normals for the menstrual cycle?
<16 Yrs: Menarche
>45 Yrs: Menopause
3-8 Days: Menstruation
<80 Ml: Blood loss
24-38 Days: Cycle length
When is said to be early menopause?
40-45
When is said to be premature menopause?
<40
What is menorrhagia?
Heavy menstural bleeding
What are the two definitions of menorrhagia?
- blood loss of >80ml per month in an otherwise normal menstrual cycle
- excess menstrual blood loss that interferes with a woman’s quality of life and can occur alone or in combination with other symptoms (QOL = physical, emotional, social and material)
Why is the limit of menorrhagia 80ml?
Blood loss of 80ml is the most a woman on a normal diet can loose without becoming iron deficient
How common is menorrhagia?
5% of women aged 30-49 yrs consult their GP due to heavy periods or menstrual problems
What is the etiology of menorrhagia?
- uterine
fibroids 30%
polyps 10%
endometrial hyperplasia
endometrial ca
endometriosis/ adenomyosis - cervical
carcinoma
polyp - pelvic
ovarian cancer
chronic pelvic infection - thyroid disease (hypo)
- coagulation disorder
vW, anticoagulants, thrombocytopenia - IUD - esp the copper coil
What is a fibroid?
Benign tumour of the myometrium
What will the majority of women with menorrhagia have?
No histological abnormality and regular cycles
What may menorrhagia result from in cases where there is no histological abnormalities?
- endometrial haemostasis
- uterine prostaglandin levels
What do the prostaglandins cause?
- PG12 and PGE2 = vasodilation
- PGF2 = constriction
How does FIGO group the etiologies of menorrhagia?
PALM (structural)
P; Polyp
A; Adenomyosis
L; Leiomyoma (Fibroid)
M;Malignancy / Hyperplasia
COEIN (non-structural causes)
C; Coagulation disorder
O; Ovulatory dysfunction
E; Endometrial (primary disorder of mechanisms regulating haemostasis)
I; Infection / Iatrogenic (medications)
N; Not yet known
What are the clinical features you must ask about in the history of women with menorrhagia?
- nature and duration of bleeding (flooding, clots, pads)
- length and regularity of cycle
- associations : IMB, PCB, discharge, pain, urinary symptoms
- effect on QOL, consider symptomatic anaemia, ADLS, sexual function
- investigations: FBC?
- treatments: tried to date (may include contraceptives)
- risk/causation: thyroid, family Hx of coagulation problems
What are the guidelines on examination of a woman presenting with menorrhagia?
. NICE guidelines: offer a physical exam if HMB with other related symptoms and in all going for IUS.
RCPI guidelines suggest examination should include abdominal and pelvic examination where feasible (later less so in young women newly sexually active)
What signs may be seen on clinical examination of a patient with menorrhagia?
-General –> anaemia (facial, conjunctival, nail bed pallor)
-Abdominal examination: palpable mass (e.g. fibroid or ovarian mass) or tenderness (adenomyosis, endometriosis, PID)
-pelvic-> signs of different issues
What clinical features and signs may be seen on pelvic examination in a woman with menorrhagia?
- cervical abnormality
- uterine: tenderness: adenomyosis
- uterine: irregular enlargement: fibroids
- uterine: mobility/retroverted (?PID, endometriosis)
- ovarian mass/adnexal tenderness
- pouch of Douglas assessment - often nil
What investigations are done for menorrhagia?
- Labs FBC +/-ferritin/ironstudies +/-tfts & coag no need for hormonal studies in HMB unless other cause for doing them
- TVUS: endometrial thickness, large polyps, fibroids, ovarian mass.
- Endometrial biopsy: indications: RCPI guidelines
- Hysteroscopy:
-if irregular bleeding: IMB/PCB
-u/s suggestion of endometrial polyp or cancer
What are the RCPI guidelines for who to endometrial biopsy with menorrhagia?
- > 45 yrs
- <45 yrs with obesity or PCOS
- IMB
- failure to respond to treatment
*others:
- endometrial thickness variable (>4 post menopause)
- endometrial polyp on TVUS
- prior to endometrial ablation
How dos endometrial thickness appear on TVUS?
What biopsy can be used to take a biopsy of the endometrium outside of hysteroscopy?
Pipelle biopsy = suction currette
What are the issues with pipelle biopsy?
blind biopsy so if negative not great as could easily have missed
D&C is a diagnostic test not a treatment but some willl bleed less a bit after D&C
How is menorrhagia managed?
- treat underlying pathology
- medical
- surgical
- needs to take account of symptoms but also desire for fertility
- Ursula tried for minimum of 3 months
What are the first line medical treatments for menorrhagia?
- IUS – progesterone-impregnated coil
- Reduces menstrual flow by> 90%
- Less s/e than systemic tx
- Contraceptive
What are the second line medical treatments of menorrhagia?
- antifibrinolytics = tranexamic acid
- NSAIDS = mefanamic acid (ponstan)
- COCP
How does tranexamic acid help menorrhagia?
- taken during menstruation
- reduce blood loss by about 50%
How does NSAID mefanamic acid treat menorrhagia?
- inhibit prostaglandin synthesis
- reduce blood loss by ~30%
- similar s/e profile to regular NSAIDs
When is mefanamic acid used in preference to tranexamic acid for the treatment of menorrhagia?
If a lot of dysmenorrhea
How does the COCP help treat menorrhagia?
Lighter periods: reduce blood loss by up to 43%
Who has problems with COCP for the treatment of menorrhagia?
Older women
Pelvic pathology
How does ponstan (mefanamic acid) work in the treatment of menorrhagia?
Dual effect in inhibiting prostaglandin syntetase but also antagonising at prostaglandin receptor sites
What medical treatments are the third line in the treatment of menorrhagia?
- progestagens (high dose): norethisterone 15mg daily from days 5-26 of cycle (or every day will induce amenorrhoea), injectables
- GnRH analogues: induce amenorrhea
How do GnRH analgoues work?
- cause pituatiry to down regular it’s receptors causing less of FSH, LH production
= induce a medial menopause
How are GnRH analgoues limited in the treatment of menorrhagia?
- limited to 6 months
- unless add back HRT then can use them for 2 years
When is surgical treatment for menorrhagia esp good?
In cases of proven pathology
Treat underlying pathology
(Eg endometrial polyp, fibroids)
What are the surgical treatments of menorrhagia?
- endometrial ablation techniques
- hysterectomy
What is endometrial ablation technique?
Removal or destruction of endometrium
What does endometrial ablation usually achieve for menorrhagia treatment?
- lighter periods or amenorrhea
- usually <10 weeks size
What are some issues with endometrial ablation that are important to remember?
- reduce fertility but not sterilizing - still need contraceptives
- less satisfied than with hysterectomy
- 20% repeat or later hysterectomy