Ovulation disorders Flashcards
What is secondary amenorrhoea?
Cessation of periods for >6 months in someone who has menstruated
What is oligomenorrhoea?
Less than 9 periods/year
What congenital problems can cause primary amenorrhoea?
Turner’s syndrome
Kallman’s syndrome
What intrauterine problem could cause 2o amenorrhoea?
Uterine adhesions
What pituitary problems could cause 2o amenorrhoea?
high PRL, hypopituitarism
How is a PRLoma excluded from history?
Presence of galactorrhoea
What would be signs of oestrogen deficiency?
flushing
low libido
dyspareunia
breast atrophy
What symptom can be a sign of Kallman’s syndrome?
Anosmia
What tests should be ordered with ovulation disorders? (5)
LH FSH oestradiol
TFT prolactin
What is a primary hypogonadism?
Problem with ovaries
What hormone levels are present in 1o hypogonadism?
High LH and FSH
What is a secondary hypogonadism?
Problem with hypothalamus or pituitary
What hormone levels are present in 2o hypogonadism?
Low FSH and LH
What are symptoms of premature ovarian failure?
Amenorrhoea, oestrogen deficiency and elevated gonadotrophins
What causes premature ovarian failure?
Turner’s syndrome
Iatrogenic
Autoimmune e.g. Addisons
What hormone levels are diagnostic of POF?
FSH 430 twice more than 1 month apart
What can cause function 2o amenorrhoea?
Stress weight loss steroids recreational drugs sarcoidosis
What is Kallman’s syndrome?
Genetic loss of GnRH
Why might anosmia be a sign of Kallman’s?
Absence of olfactory bulbs
Describe the release of GnRH from the hypothalamus
Pulsatile release.
Low frequency stimulates FSH
High frequency stimulates LH
Where is FSH secreted from?
Anterior pituitary
What does FSH do? (2)
Stimulates follicular development
thickens endometrium
When LH is at its peak what happens?
Ovulation is stimulated
What does LH do? (2)
Stimulates corpus luteum
Thickens endometrium
When is progesterone peaking?
Day 21
When is LH at its highest?
36 hours before ovulation
What produces progresterone?
Corpus luteum
Where does oestrogen come from? (3)
Follicles in ovaries
Adrenal cortex
Placenta
What does oestrogen do?
Thickens endometrium
Makes cervical mucus fertile
When progesterone is high, what happens to LH?
Suppressed
What does progesterone do?
Makes cervical mucus infertile
Increases basal temperature
What is a group I anovulatory disorder?
Hypothalamic pituitary failure e.g. hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism
In hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, what are the hormone levels like?
Low FSH and LH
Deficient in oestrogen
What clinical sign is present in hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism?
Amenorrhoea
What can cause hypothalamic pituitary failure?
Stress exercise anorexia head trauma steroids and opiates Pituitary tumours
How can hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism be treated?
Pulsatile GnRH SC/IV
What is a group II anovulatory disorder?
PCOS
ovaries do not respond to hormones from pituitary
What are hormone activities like in PCOS?
LH high
oestrogen normal
What criteria must be filled to diagnose PCOS?
Rotterdam. 2 of
polycystic ovaries on USS
Oligo/Amenorrhoea
Clinical/biochem signs of acne or hirsuitsm
How may polycystic ovaries appear on USS?
12 or more of 2-9mm follicles
May be uni or bilateral
Increased ovarian volume
Why is DM2 more common in PCOS?
Insulin resistance common
Insulin lowers SBGH so more free testosterone