Reproductive Flashcards
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Female Genital Mutilation(FGM)
involves the partial or total removal of the external female genital organs for cultural or non-therapeutic reasons.
not necessarily for any medical purpose and is extremely painful.
also known as female circumcision/female genital cutting.
can have serious health implications both at the time of the procedure and later in life.
classified into 4 types by world health organisation
Type 1 - Clitoridectomy - partial or total removal of the clitoris irony the prepuce(fold of skin surrounding the clitoris)
Type 2 - Excision - partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora; may include excision of the labia majora
Type 3 - Infibulation - narrowing of the vaginal opening by creating a seal, formed by cutting and repositioning the labia, may include removal of the clitoris
Type 4 - Other - harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, eg. incising, scraping, cauterising
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Ruptured Ovarian Cyst
a fluid filled sac that forms on or within an ovary.
of the many types of cysts, most common is the ‘functional’ cyst which generally develops during the menstrual cycle:
- during the menstrual cycle, the ovaries form tiny sacs(cysts) to hold the eggs
- once the egg matures, the sac breaks open and releases the egg
- the sac then dissolves
- if the sac fails to break open, however, the egg may continue to mature and form a ‘follicular’ cyst
- under normal circumstances, this type of cyst spontaneously disappears
- a ‘corpus luteum’ cyst develops if the sac seals itself after the egg is released.
- fluid then accumulates inside the cyst, and it continues to grow.
- these cysts usually resolve spontaneously but may grow up to 6cm
- at this size they can twist the ovary, causing bleeding and pain
if the cycle of forming space is repeated excessively and the eggs do not release, polycystic ovaries may develop.
this hormonal reproductive disorder is characterised by lack of progesterone and high levels of androgens(male hormone).
polycystic ovaries can have a negative impact on normal insulin production, leading to diabetes(especially gestational diabetes).
it can also cause:
- heart and blood vessel problems(such as hypertension)
- hair growth
- pelvic pain
- irregular menstrual cycles
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Ectopic Pregnancy
a fertilised egg is implanted outside of the uterine cavity, most commonly due to blockage/obstruction preventing the egg from passing into the uterus, eg. PID related scarring or surgery(ligation/reverse ligation).
rarely ectopic pregnancies occur in the abdomen, within the cervix or on an ovary.
With a tubal pregnancy, the egg implants in the Fallopian tube, then begins to grow and produce hormones in the same way a normally implanted egg does, taking nourishment from the maternal blood supply.
due to the production of hormones, the woman experiences the early physiological changes of pregnancy.
Period stops, breasts enlarge and become tender, the uterine environment changes, just as it would with a normal pregnancy.
the Fallopian tube, lacking the muscle capacity of the uterus, has little stretching ability, so the developing embryo soon runs out of growing room.
when this occurs, the tube is likely to rupture, causing massive intra-abdominal haemorrhage and shock.
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease(PID)
an infection of the pelvis, usually caused by an infection entering the vagina and migrating through the opening of the cervix and into the uterine cavity, where it invades the mucosa.
the infection may then expand to the Fallopian tubes(producing scarring that can lead to life-threatening ectopic pregnancy or sterility), and eventually involving the ovaries(may lead to development of a life threatening gynaecological emergency, tube-ovarian abscess) and the peritoneal cavity.
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Toxic Shock Syndrome(TSS)
rare form of septic shock, which can be fatal.
causative agent is either:
- streptococcus pyogenes(group A strep)
- staphylococcus aureus
affects both men and women.
can involve several bodily systems, including:
- hepatic
- cardiovascular
- central nervous
- renal
results when minor infections of the lungs, sinuses, skin lesions, or the vagina progress to actual TSS.
menstruating women appear to be particularly prone.
initial symptoms include:
- syncope
- myalgia
- diarrhoea
- vomiting
- headache
- fever
- sore throat
other symptoms might include:
- widespread petechiae(capillaries break open, and blood leaks into your skin)
- light rash
- scleral injection(bloodshot eyes)
as disease progresses signs of systemic shock begin to appear.
disseminated intravascular coagulation, severe hypotension, adult respiratory distress syndrome, and arrhythmia’s may develop.
a pt may show signs of kidney and liver failure.
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of Endometriosis
results when endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, generally on the surface of the abdominal and pelvic organs, but occasionally can be found in the lungs or other parts of the body.
chronic condition causing extreme pain, or there may be no symptoms at all.
one of leading causes of infertility in women.
many women unaware they have endometriosis until they encounter difficulty attempting to conceive.
in those that experience symptoms, the most common complaint is pain, generally localised in lower back, pelvic and abdominal regions.
other symptoms include:
- pain during and after intercourse
- gastrointestinal pain
- dysuria
- painful bowel movements during menstrual cycle
- fatigue
- extremely painful and escalating menstrual cramping
- very heavy menstrual periods
pt’s may experience bleeding between periods or premenstrual spotting, and can have rectal bleeding.
pain and symptoms vary dependant on where in the body the endometriosis is sited.
