O+G 3 Flashcards
What treatment is used for high stage cervical cancer?
platinum-based chemotherapy
What is endometrial hyperplasia associated with?
- Taking oestrogen unopposed by progesterone
- Obesity
- Late menopause
- Early menarche
- Being a current smoker
- Nulliparity
- Aged over 35-years-old
- Tamoxifen
At what point in the menstrual cycle can the IUD be inserted?
Any time
It can also be fitted immediately after first or second-trimester abortion, and from 4 weeks postpartum.
What’s the difference between an IUD and an IUS?
conventional copper intrauterine devices (IUDs) and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems (IUS, Mirena)
both the IUD and IUS are more than 99% effective
Uses of IUS
- contraception
- menorrhagia
Mode of action of intrauterine contraceptive devices
- IUD: primary mode of action is prevention of fertilisation by causing decreased sperm motility and survival (possibly an effect of copper ions)
- IUS: levonorgestrel prevents endometrial proliferation and causes cervical mucous thickening
From when are intrauterine devices effective?
IUD is effective immediately following insertion
IUS can be relied upon after 7 days
Risks of intrauterine devices
- IUDs make periods heavier, longer and more painful
- the IUS is associated with initial frequent uterine bleeding and spotting. Later women typically have intermittent light menses with less dysmenorrhoea and some women become amenorrhoeic
- uterine perforation: up to 2 per 1000 insertions
- the proportion of pregnancies that are ectopic is increased but the absolute number of ectopic pregnancies is reduced, compared to a woman not using contraception
- infection: there is a small increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease in the first 20 days after insertion but after this period the risk returns to that of a standard population
- expulsion: risk is around 1 in 20, and is most likely to occur in the first 3 months
What advice do you give for couples wishing to become pregnant?
- folic acid
- aim for BMI 20-25
- advise regular sexual intercourse every 2 to 3 days
- smoking/drinking advice
12 months before referral
When is fertility testing done and what does it involve?
12 months of trying to conceive
- semen analysis in the man
- mid-luteal progesterone level in the female to confirm ovulation (7 days prior to beginning next period)
When would you consider early referral to a fertility clinic?
Female
- Age above 35
- Amenorrhoea
- Previous pelvic surgery
- Previous STI
- Abnormal genital examination
Male
- Previous surgery on genitalia
- Previous STI
- Varicocele
- Significant systemic illness
- Abnormal genital examination
What’s the incidence of infertility?
1 in 7 couples
Around 84% of couples who have regular sex will conceive within 1 year, and 92% within 2 years
Causes of infertility
- male factor 30%
- unexplained 20%
- ovulation failure 20%
- tubal damage 15%
- other causes 15%
What are the possible results and management for progesterone test?
< 16 nmol/l
Repeat, if consistently low refer to specialist
16 - 30 nmol/l
Repeat
> 30 nmol/l
Indicates ovulation
When would you check for gonadotrophins?
to check for ovarian function in patients with irregular menstrual cycles
A 38-year-old woman complains that she is experiencing hot flushes and has not had a period for the past five months. She is worried that she going through an ‘early menopause’.
What is the most appropriate investigation to diagnose premature ovarian failure?
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level is raised significantly in menopausal patients. Test FSH to confirm menopause. At menopause (and in premature ovarian failure), ovarian function ceases, leading to high levels of FSH due to the removal of the negative feedback mechanisms.
Define premature ovarian failure. How common is it?
The onset of menopausal symptoms and elevated gonadotrophin levels before the age of 40 years. It occurs in around 1 in 100 women.
What are the causes of premature ovarian failure?
- idiopathic - the most common cause
- chemotherapy
- autoimmune
- radiation
Features of premature ovarian failure or menopause
- climacteric symptoms: hot flushes, night sweats
infertility - secondary amenorrhoea
- raised FSH, LH levels
What’s the condition?
post-menopausal patient with pain during sex and dryness, they may also have some postcoital bleeding
Vaginal atrophy
What is the criteria for a confirmed miscarriage?
A confirmed miscarriage can be diagnosed on ultrasound if there is no cardiac activity and:
- The crown-rump length is greater than 7mm OR
- The gestational sack is greater than 25mm
What is a cervical ectropion and what causes it? What features can it cause?
- On the ectocervix there is a transformation zone where the stratified squamous epithelium meets the columnar epithelium of the cervical canal.
- Elevated oestrogen levels (ovulatory phase, pregnancy, combined oral contraceptive pill use) result in larger area of columnar epithelium being present on the ectocervix
Features:
- vaginal discharge
- post-coital bleeding
What’s the most common cause of PPH?
Uterine atony
The uterus to contract fully following the delivery of the placenta, which hinders the achievement of haemostasis
Management of PPH due to uterine atony
- bimanual uterine compression to manually stimulate contraction
- intravenous oxytocin and/or ergometrine
- intramuscular carboprost
- intramyometrial carboprost
- rectal misoprostol
- surgical intervention such as balloon tamponade
What causes uterine atony?
It is associated with overdistension, which may be due to:
- multiple gestation
- macrosomia
- polyhydramnios
- other causes
What are the causes of primary PPH?
4 Ts:
Tone - problems with uterine contraction
Tissue - retained products of conception
Trauma
Thrombin
Management for PPH
- call for senior help, anaesthetics and haematology
- ABCD
- deliver placenta
- lie flat
- give oxygen
- IV access
- bimanually compress uterus
- insert catheter to empty bladder
- examine
- FBC, U+Es, clotting, cross-match
- replace blood with FFP if >4 units
- Syntocinon 5 Units by slow IV injection. This should then be followed by ergometrine (contraindicated in hypertension) and then a Syntocinon infusion.
- Carboprost (contraindicated in asthma) and then misoprostol 1000 micrograms rectally are then recommended.
- If pharmacological management fails then surgical haemostasis should be initiated.
A 70-year-old woman is seen in the acute medical unit with shortness of breath and abdominal distension. A chest x-ray shows a right pleural effusion. An ovarian mass is removed but it is found to be benign on histology. What is this syndrome called?
Meig’s syndrome
What are the 3 features of Meig’s syndrome?
- a benign ovarian tumour (normally a fibroma)
- ascites
- pleural effusion
What are the 4 main types of ovarian tumour?
- epithelial/surface derived tumours (65%)
- germ cell tumours (15-20%)
- sex cord-stromal tumours (3-5%)
- metastasis (5%)
How do you manage hypertension during pregnancy?
- At conception: no agent except ACE inhibitors is known to be teratogenic
In the second and third trimesters:
- ACE inhibitors are fetotoxic and contraindicated
- Full beta blockers slow fetal growth and are best avoided
- Labetalol and Methyl dopa are the drugs of first choice
- Nifedipine and alpha blockers (doxazosin or prazosin) appear to be safe
- Diuretics are undesirable but can be used.
How do you manage eclampsia?
- AIRWAY… (position, suction, oxygen, anaesthetist)
- IV line
- Stop the convulsion (IV lorazepam)
- Control the blood pressure ……..
(parenteral labetalol or hydralazine) - Prevent further convulsions (parenteral MgSO4)
- Deliver
What should women do to prevent neural tube defects?
- all women should take 400mcg of folic acid until the 12th week of pregnancy
- women at higher risk of conceiving a child with a NTD should take 5mg of folic acid until the 12th week of pregnancy
women are considered higher risk if any of the following apply:
→ either partner has a NTD, they have had a previous pregnancy affected by a NTD, or they have a family history of a NTD
→ the woman is taking antiepileptic drugs or has coeliac disease, diabetes, or thalassaemia trait.
→ the woman is obese (defined as a body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or more).
What causes folic acid deficiency?
- phenytoin
- methotrexate
- pregnancy
- alcohol excess
Where is folic acid found and what does it do?
Folic acid is converted to tetrahydrofolate (THF). Green, leafy vegetables are a good source of folic acid.
Functions
THF plays a key role in the transfer of 1-carbon units (e.g. methyl, methylene, and formyl groups) to the essential substrates involved in the synthesis of DNA & RNA
Which drugs are ok to give to mothers who breastfeed?
- antibiotics: penicillins, cephalosporins, trimethoprim
- endocrine: glucocorticoids (avoid high doses), levothyroxine*
- epilepsy: sodium valproate, carbamazepine
- asthma: salbutamol, theophyllines
- psychiatric drugs: tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics (clozapine should be avoided)
- hypertension: beta-blockers, hydralazine
- anticoagulants: warfarin, heparin
- digoxin
Which drugs should be avoided during breast feeding?
- antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, sulphonamides
- psychiatric drugs: lithium, benzodiazepines
- aspirin
- carbimazole
- methotrexate
- sulphonylureas
- cytotoxic drugs
- amiodarone
What are the degrees of perineal tear?
- first degree: superficial damage with no muscle involvement, tear within vaginal mucosa only
- second degree: injury to the perineal muscle, but not involving the anal sphincter, tear into subcutaneous tissue
- third degree: injury to perineum involving the anal sphincter complex (external anal sphincter, EAS and internal anal sphincter, IAS):
3a: less than 50% of EAS thickness torn
3b: more than 50% of EAS thickness torn
3c: IAS torn - fourth degree = laceration extends through external anal sphincter into rectal mucosa
A 51 year-old woman presents to her GP with a nine month history of urinary incontinence. Examination of her abdomen is normal. Urinalysis is normal. A diagnosis of detrusor muscle over-activity is made and the patient is commenced on oxybutynin. What is the mechanism of oxybutynin?
Anti-muscarinic
What receptors cause detrusor muscle contraction?
muscarinic cholinergic receptors
Does noradrenaline relax or contract the bladder?
Relax
What can be given prior to surgery to remove uterine fibroids? Why is it given?
GnRH agonists reduce the size of the uterus prior to surgery. The risk of post-operative blood loss is directly related to the size of the uterus.
Should COCP be given before surgery?
No, increases risk of VTE
What’s the diagnostic criteria for hyperemesis gravidarum?
Triad:
5% pre-pregnancy weight loss AND dehydration AND electrolyte imbalance