Menstrual Disorders Flashcards
Define primary amenorrhoea
Primary amenorrhoea is menstruation has not started by the age of 16
Define Delayed puberty
Delayed puberty is when secondary sexual characteristics are not present by age 14
Define secondary amenorrhoea
Secondary amenorrhoea is when menstruation ceases for 3 months
Define Oligomenorrhoea
Oligomenorrhoea is when menstruation occurs every 35 days to 6 months
Classification of causes amenorrhoea
- Physiological- pregnancy , lactation and menopause
- Constitutional delay
- Pathological- hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, ovary or uterus and out flow tract
- Drugs- GnRH analogues, progestogens, antipshycotics
Causes of amenorrhoea due to Hypothalamic hypogonadism
- Psychological factors
- Low weight
- Anorexia nervosa
- Excessive exercise
- Tumours are rare- craniopharyngiomas
GnRH /FSH/LH / oestradiol are low
What is Kallmann’s syndrome?
Rare congenital absence of GnRH neurons
Amenorrhoea associated with anosmia and colour-blindness
Treatment of Hypothalamic causes of amenorrhoea
- Supportive
- Bone density needs monitoring
- Oestrogen replacement with progesterone for endometrial protection – COC or HRT
- Psychiatric treatment for anorexia nervosa
Pituitary causes of amenorrhoea
- Hyperprolactinemia- pituitary hyperplasia or benign adenomas
- MRI – Micro or macroadenomas of pituitary
- Treatment with dopamine agonists like bromocriptine /cabergoline /surgery
- Sheehan’s syndrome- severe postpartum haemorrhage causes pituitary necrosis and hypopituitarism
Adrenal and thyroid gland causes of amenorrhoea
- Over and under active thyroid both can cause amenorrhoea
- Hypothyroidism causes hyperprolactinemia and amenorrhoea
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia and some virializing tumours cause amenorrhoea
Ovarian causes of amenorrhoea
- PCOS- usually causes oligomenorrhoea and can cause amenorrhoea
- Virilizing tumours of ovary are rare
Investigations for Premature menopause
- autoantibody screen for ovarian autoantibodies
- screening for other autoimmune disease
- possible infection (including mumps and HIV)
- baseline bone densitometry scan.
Congenital causes of amenorrhoea
- Turner’s syndrome
- outflow tract obstructions
- Gonadal agenesis and androgen insensitivity (46XY with female phenotype) are rare
Core features of Turner’s Syndrome
X chromosome is absent 45 XO •Short stature •Under developed secondary sexual characters •Normal intelligence
Out flow tract problems causing amenorrhoea
CONGENITAL:
•Imperforate hymen and transverse vaginal septum. Note: normal secondary sexual characters and amenorrhoea
Treatment: Treatment is surgical resection and use of vaginal dilators
ACQUIRED
•Cervical stenosis- hematometra
•Asherman’s syndrome-uterine synaechia due to excessive curettage
•Treatment-hysteroscopic lysis of adhesions
Define haematocolpos
Blood accumulates in the vagina due to Imperforate hymen and transverse vaginal septum –obstruct menstrual flow
Define haematometra
Blood accumulates in the uterus due to Imperforate hymen and transverse vaginal septum –obstruct menstrual flow
Rokitansky syndrome
- Rokitansky syndrome- absence of the vagina with or without a functioning uterus.
- Complete müllerian agenesis is the second most common cause of primary amenorrhoea (10%) after gonadal dysgenesis (40%)
- Also known as Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome
- Ovarian development and function is normal.
- Vaginal dilators
Primary Amenorrhea-History
- evidence of psychological dysfunction or emotional stress
- mother and sister’s gynaecological and obstetric history
- family history of genetic disorders or diabetes
- family history of delayed puberty
- pubertal development
- the presence of galactorrhoea
- symptoms of hypothyroidism
- weight loss or gain
- hirsutism virilisation
- menopausal symptoms
- sexual activity
- headache or visual disturbance, poluria, polydipsia
- anosmia
- chronic systemic illness, chemotherapy, radiotherapy.
Relevance of pubertal development history to primary amenorrhea
lack of pubertal development suggests deficient estradiol secretion, which could be due to a hypothalamic or pituitary disorder, ovarian failure, and/or a chromosomal abnormality
Relevance of galactorrhea history to primary amenorrhea
may be due to hyperprolactinemia
Relevance of thyroid history to primary amenorrhea
Hypo and hyper can alter menstruation
Relevance of hirsutism or virilisation history to primary amenorrhea
virilisation may be due to due to an androgen-secreting ovarian or adrenal tumor, or 5-alpha-reductase deficiency
Relevance of visual disturbance history to primary amenorrhea
suggestive of CNS tumor such as craniopharyngioma
Relevance of polyuria history to primary amenorrhea
Relevance of visual disturbance history to amenorrhea
Relevance of anosmia history to primary amenorrhea
anosmia – one of the causes is Kallmans syndrome
Secondary Amenorrhea -History
- Pregnancy
- irregular menstrual cycles
- malaise, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss
- heterotopic ossification (h/o) following head injury
- headaches
- galactorrhoea
- h/o postpartum haemorrhage
- h/o dilation and curettage
- medications – contraception, antidepressants and antipsychotics, chronic opioid use.
Secondary Amenorrhea Red flag symptoms
- rapid virilisation – may be due to androgen-secreting tumors
- hyperprolactinemia – may be associated with intracranial tumors.
Relevance of h/o dilation and curettage history to secondary amenorrhea
may be associated with Ashermans syndrome
Relevance of h/o postpartum haemorrhage history to secondary amenorrhea
may be associated with Sheehans syndrome
Relevance of headaches history to secondary amenorrhea
may be suggestive of CNS tumor
Relevance of galactorrhoea history to secondary amenorrhea
may be due to prolactinoma
Relevance of irregular menstrual cycles history to secondary amenorrhea
associated with polycystic ovary syndrome
General Examination – Primary Amenorrhea
•Weight, height, body mass index (BMI) •Shortened height may suggest a chromosomal abnormality. Women with gonadal dysgenesis and hypoestrogenaemia are at risk of a shortened final adult height •Clinical thyroid status •Dysmorphic signs •Any hirsuitism, acne etc. •Tanner breast and axillary hair stages •Low hairline, webbed neck, widely spaced nipples etc are suggestive of Turners syndrome Abdomen/pelvis- •Mass arising from pelvis •Groin node/herniae
Pelvic examination - Primary Amenorrhea
Perineum-
Inspection is often all that is required, especially in women who are not sexually active. Note the presence and distribution of pubic hair, clitoral size, configuration of hymen, relationship of anus, vagina and urethra to hymen, the degree of estrogenisation and perineal hygiene.
The hymen and vestibule may be visualised with gentle lateral spread of the labia majora with two fingers and a deep inspiration/valsalva manoeuvre by the patient