Reproduction 4: Female Repro (Continued) Flashcards
what is primary amenorrhea?
absence of menses in a phenotypic female by age 17
What are some common causes of primary amenorrhea?
disorders of sexual differentiation
What are some disorders of sexual differentiation that can result in primary amenorrhea?
Turner’s Syndrome: no ovaries
Complete androgen resistance (testicular feminization): no ovaries
Hormonal disorders in ovaries, adrenals, thyroid, pituitary/adrenal/hypothalamic axis
What is secondary amenorrhea?
cessation of menstruation for longer than 6 months
What are the main causes of secondary amenorrhea?
pregnancy, lactation, menopause
What are some less common causes of secondary amenorrhea?
prolactinoma
panhypopituitarism
What is the problem with a prolactinoma?
excess prolactin inhibits GnRH
What is oligomenorrhea?
infrequent periods (cycle length >35 days)
What is the most common cause of oligomenorrhea?
Changes due to functional abnormalities in CNS mechanisms that regulate GnRH release, including stress and illness
What are some other causes of oligomenorrhea?
changes in body fat composition (very low levels)
Intense exercise, extreme weight loss, anorexia nervosa – no consistent changes in plasma gonadotropins or ovarian steroids
What is dysmenorrhea?
painful menses
What are some causes of dysmenorrhea?
prostaglandin released during menses can cause uterine contractions which may be severe enough to cause ischemia and pain
What is a social result of dysmenorrhea?
single most common cause of female work/school absenteeism
What is prostaglandin synthesis promoted by?
E2, followed by progesterone
How do you treat dysmenorrhea?
prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, oral contraceptions
What is premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?
physical and behavioral symptoms that interfere with normal life, 30% women with normal cycles
What are the symptoms of PMS?
abdominal bloating, extreme sense of fatigue, breast tenderness, labile mood, irritability, depression, tension
What is a treatment of PMS and what has been shown not to work?
linked to cycle, but no clear link to progesterone - progesterone replacement therapy doesn’t work
vitamin supplement also doesn’t work
SSRI first line treatment if socioeconomic dysfunction present
What is hirsutism?
inappropriate hair growth in androgen sensitive areas (beard area, back, etc.)
What are some causes of hirsutism?
excessive androgen intake
excessive androgen production by adrenals (adrenal hyperplasia, cushing’s)
idiopathic increases in sensitivity to androgens
What is virilization?
includes hirsutism and more pronounced evidenc eof androgen stimulation, such as deepening voice, clitoral hypertrophy, temporal balding, male pattern skeletal development
What is the cause of virilization?
excessive androgen production
What is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)?
accumulation of preantral follicles that become cysts
What is a root cause of PCOS?
insulin resistance and obesity –> causes of and caused by PCOS
High insulin stimulates androgen production (causing infertility) and increased conversion to estrogens (weight gain)
What is a consequence of PCOS on the ovaries?
follicle development impaired, ovulation is not complete, and the follicles degenerate into cysts. ovaries can double (or more) in size
What is PCOS a leading cause of?
infertility
What are some symptoms of PCOS?
sleep apnea (consistent with obesity), oligomenorrhea, obesity, acne, decreased HDL and increased triglycerides, hirsutism
What is the treatment for PCOS?
weight loss, smoking cessation, Metformin
Metformin alone is often sufficient to restore fertility
Clomiphene also effective
What are the three types of estrogen?
E1 - estrone
E2 - 17-beta-estradiol
E3 - estriol
What are the general features of estrone (E1)?
produced in higher amounts after menopause, lower affinity for estrogen receptor
What are the general features of estradiol (E2)?
primary circulating hormone during reproductive years, higher binding affinity for estrogen receptors