Women's Health Flashcards
What is primary amenorrhoea?
When menstruation has not commenced by the age of 16
What is secondary amenorrhoea?
When menstruation has ceased for 6 months or more
Give examples of primary amenorrhoea where sexual characteristics are present
- Constitutional delay
- Genitourinary malformation
- Testicular feminisation
- Hyperprolactinaemia
Give examples of primary amenorrhoea where sexual characteristics are not present
- Ovarian failure (chemo, irradiation, chromosomal)
- Hypothalamic failure (chronic disease, excess exercise, stress, underweight)
Give examples of secondary amenorrhoea
- Pregnancy
- Lactation
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Hypothalamic amenorrhoea
- Hyperprolactinaemia
- Primary Ovarian insufficiency
- Hypothyroidism
A 30 year old female presents with dysmenorrhoea, lower back pain and dyspareunia which tends to get worse with at the time of periods- what is the most likely diagnosis
Endometriosis
What happens in endometriosis?
There is retrograde menstruation leading to endometrial tissue being present outside of the uterus. This tissue is oestrogen dependent and grows and bleeds in the presence of oestrogen
What is the management of endometriosis?
- Analgesia - NSAIDs, Paracetamol
- Hormonal - pill, GnRH, Oral progestogens, Mirena
- Surgery to ablate the endometrial lesions
What are the risk factors for endometrial cancer?
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Null parity
- Late menopause
- Early menstruation
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- Pelvic irradiation
What is a typical presentation of endometrial cancer?
Post-menopausal bleeding
How is endometrial cancer investigated and diagnosed?
- Transvaginal ultrasound (thickness of endometrium)
- Hysteroscopy
- Endometrial biopsy
What are the risk factors for cervical cancer?
- HPV infection
- Early first intercourse
- Multiple sexual partners
- STDs
- Smoking
- Multiparity
- OCD
What are the symptoms of cervical cancer if symptoms are present?
- Abnormal bleeding e.g. after sex, intermenstrual or postmenopausal
- Additional: dyspaeuria, vaginal discharge, pain in the lower back or pelvis
What procedure is done to remove abnormal cells from the cervix?
Large Loop Excision of the Transformation Zone
At what age is cervical screening given and how often is is done?
- 25 to 49 - every 3 years
- 50 to 64 - every 5 years
What are the two main types of breast cancer?
- Ductal (invasive or in-situ)
- Lobular (invasive or in-situ)
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
- Increasing age
- Family history
- Long duration of oestrogen exposure
- Late first pregnancy
- HRT
- Obesity
- Alcohol
What features can be found in breast cancer?
- Painless lump
- Nipple discharge
- Nipple in-drawing
- Rash
- Breast lump
- Peau d’orange (pitted skin similar to orange peel)
When is breast screening offered to women and how often?
50 to 50 years old every three years
What is the triple assessment when investigating for breast cancer?
- Examination
- Mammogram
- Biopsy
Where are the common metastases sites with Breast cancer?
- Bone
- Liver
- Pleura
- Soft tissue
- Brain
What are the differential diagnoses of breast lumps?
- Breast cysts
- Fibroadenoma
- Fibrocystic
- Trauma/injury
- Lipoma
- Mastitis
- Milk cyst (galactocele)
A 60 year old female presents with a history of bloating, abdominal discomfort and having to frequently go to the toilet. When you ask further questions she also mentions her bowels have changed over the last few months. What would you you be concern about?
Ovarian cancer - it can present with IBS-like symptoms
How is the risk of malignancy index calculated in relation to ovarian cancer?
RMI = CA125 x ultrasound score x pre or post menopause score
What are the Amin risk factors for ovarian cancer?
- Duration of ovulation (the longer it is the greater the risk)
- BRCA 1 or 2 or HNPCC
What are fibroids?
Oestrogen-dependent benign tumours made of smooth muscle that develop in/on the uterus
What clinical features do you get with fibroids?
- Many are asymptomatic
- Menorrhagia
- Anaemia
or may present as cause of infertility or miscarriage
What can be done to treat fibroids?
- Asymptomatic = none
- Medical = Tranezamic acid, GnRH agonist
- Surgical = Embolisation, resection, myomectomy, hysterectomy
What symptoms can people experience with an ovarian cyst?
Pelvic pain, dyspareunia, constipation, urinary frequency, menorrhagia, irregular periods, bloating, early satiety, sub-fertility
What test would you do to rule out malignancy in suspect ovarian cysts?
CA125