Womens Health Flashcards
List 5 factors that increase the risk of breast cancer
- Alcohol
- Increased radiation
- Increasing age
INCREASED OESTROGEN - Obesity (post-menopausal)
- COCP
- Having children in later life, early
- Late menopause
What 2 genes are linked with breast cancer? (main ones)
- BRAC1, BRAC2
List 4 signs of breast cancer (nipple)
- Painless lump (hard and irregular)
- Dimpling of the skin (pea de orange)
- bleeding from the nipple
- Nipple discharge
- Nipple inversion
- Rash or napple around the risk
Does breast cancer screening occur, and if so for what age?
Yes
Currently 47-73.
How do you screen for breast cancer?
- Mammogram > 40
- US /MRI < 40 due to dense breasts
- Core needle biopsy - sentinel nodes, spread to lymph (mainly axilla)
Why should you give women with breast cancer bisphosphonates?
High risk post menopausal women due to risk of metastatic disease to bone
Other than breast cancer, what other cancer are BRAC1/2 carriers at an increased risk of?
Ovarian
What are the treatments for breast cancer?
- Lumpectomy
- Mastectomy
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted drugs
- Axillary clearance
What are the indiciations of doing a mastectomy / lumpectomy?
- Tumour > 25% of the breast
- Multiple cancers
- Large family history
- Patient choice
What are protective factors against breast cancer?
- Early pregnancy
- Breast feeding
What drug can be used for women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer?
(list one for both pre and post menopausal)
- Tamoxifen - premenopausal
- Aromatase inhibitors - postmenopausal women
Name 3 causes of bleeding during pregnancy (antepartum)
- Placenta Praevia
- Placental abruption
- BE AWARE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
- Local causes - trauma to vagina, etc
- Vasa Praevia
- Miscarriage
What are the 2 main types of breast cancer?
- Ductal
- Lobular
What staging system is used?
TNM Staging
Tumour
Nodes
Metastise
- Stage: where it is / spread to
- Grade: what it looks like down the microscope
What is a specifcally nasty type of breast cancer?
HER2 receptor positive - treat with herceptin (trastuzumab) and chemotherapy
What should you give a women with bleeding during pregnancy?
ANTI-D (28 weeks)
A woman presents to the ED with profuse vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. You feel her abdomen and it feels ‘woody’ and tense. What is this likely to be?
Placental abruption
What should all mothers birthing premature babies be given?
Steroids - mature babies lungs (type 2 pneumocytes to produce surfactant)
List 3 causes of polyhydramnios
- Duodenal atresia - baby (increased in Downs)
- Gestatonal Diabetes
What is a miscarriage?
Loss of pregnancy < 24 weeks
List 4 T’s causes of post-partum haemorrhage
- TONE (uterine atony, distended bladder)
- TISSUE (retained placenta or clots)
- TRUAMA (lacerations of the uterus, cervix or vagina)
- THROMBIN (pre-exisitng or acquired blood disorder)
What is HELLP syndrome?
- Haemolysis
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Low platelets
What is the classic triad of vasa praevia?
- Membrane rupture
- Painless vaginal bleeding
- Fetal bradycardia or fetal death
List 4 indications for giving Anti-D (SENSITISING SITUATIONS)
- Miscarriage > 12 weeks
- Abortion
- Amniocentesis
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Abdominal trauma
- Bleeding during pregnancy
- At birth mother and babies blood mixes
Describe the pathophysiology of Anti-D
Rhesus negative mum
Rhesus postive baby
Antibodies against rhesus positive - attack babies blood cells, causing jaundice and neurological problems
How do you check Anti-D?
Indirect coombs test
What test tells you the amount of Anti-D that you need?
Kleihaeur betke test
measures the amount of foetal Hb transferred from foetal to mothers blood stream
What medication can you give women with gestational diabetes?
Insulin and metformin
How do you check for Downs, Patuas, Edwards?
- Nucchal translucency - 12 weeks
-
What are the two cardinal signs of pre-eclampsia?
HIGH BP AND PROTEINURIA
oedema now not included in the triad
List 5 symptoms of pre-eclampsia
- headache
- visual distrubance
- papilloedema
- ankle oedema
- RUQ / epigastric pain (hepatic inflammation)
- Hyperreflexia (sustained ankle clonus)
How do you manage pre-eclampsia?
DELIVERY OF THE BABY only way to cure.
- IV magnesium sulphate
- Oral labetalol - BP
Can you use labetalol for women with asthma?
NO!
Beta blocker narrow airways
First line for these women = nifedipine.
What is the scale used to screen for post-natal depression?
Edinburgh Scale
Max score =30
How do you know the menopause has started?
12 months since the cessation of the last period
List 6 periomenopasual symptoms
Irregular periods
Short term → vasomotor (hot flushes, night sweats), mood changes / irritability, loss of memory / concentration (loss of oestrogen on brain cell function), headaches, dry and itchy skin, joint pains (loss of collagen)
Medium term → urogenital atrophy (painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, UTI’s, PMB?, urinary incontinence and prolapse (lack of collagen)
Long term → OSTEOPAROSIS (oestrogen effects on the bone → , cardiovascular disease (adverse changes in lipid, oestrogen plays a role in lipid degradation)
Loss of libido
Difficulty sleeping
What is HRT?
Hormonal replacement therapy
Used to improve menopausal symptoms
Name 4 contraindications for HRT
- VTE
- Breast cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Stroke
- CV disease
What is FGM?
Female genital mutilation
Partial or total removal of the external female genitalia with no medical reason
NO acceptable justification for it
What is a type 1 FGM?
Clitoris removal
What is a type 2 FGM?
Clitoris and labia minora removal
What is a type 4 FGM?
Piercings, prickings, etc.
List 4 gnaey and 4 obstetric complications of FGM
GYNAEY
- Infection, e.g. UTI
- Keloid scar formation
- Psychological damage e.g. PTSD
- Sexual dysfunction, e.g. vaginismus, pain
- Incontinence
OBS
- Problems with pregnancy - Too narrow for childbirht
- Increased likelihood of PPH
- Increased likelihood of C-section
- Difficulty performing vaginal examinations
Can anything be done for FGM?
- Damage permanent
- Only symptomatic management - deinfibulation (opening up the vagina)
Name 3 differentials for pelvic pain
GYNAEY
- PID
- Ovarian cysts
- Endometroisis
- Fibroid degeneration
- Ovarian torsion
OBS
- Ectopic pregnancy
BOWEL - rememver this can present as pelvic pain!
- IBS
- IBD
- UTI
- Appendicitis
- Diverticulitis
What is the key differential for endometriosis?
Adenomyosis
Name 3 differences between endometriosis adenomyosis?
Adenomysosis –> often seen in those who have had children, older. Lots of fluid in the myometrium with many holes.
What is the cause of PID?
CHLAMYDIA
gonorrhoea
What are the investigations for PCOS and what would you find?
LH: FSH = 3:1
Testosterone = raised
Sex hormone binding globulin = low (therefore increased free testosterone)
US = massive ovaries with many cysts
Fasting glucose and OGTT = diabetic / insulin resistance
Fasting lipid levels
What is mittelschmertz?
Ovulation paon
Where is the most common place for an ectopic pregnancy to occur?
AMPULLA of the fallopian tube
Name 3 things that can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy
Anything that slows the passage of the agg to the uterus:
- IVF
- PID increases the risk (STI)
- Causes inflammation in the tube → occlusion → increased likelihood of egg implantation in the tube
- IUCD USE
- Adhesions
- Endometriosis
- Previous surgery on the tubes
- Previous ectopic pregnancy ^^^
What is a molar pregnancy?
Non viable egg implants into the uterus, creates a mass.
What is most common pathology of cervical cancer?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What is the prognosis for ovarian cancer?
POOR –> Non-specific symptoms
What should you worry about if post-menopausal women present with bleeding?
GYNAECOLOGICAL CANCER
- Endometrial
What is the key differential for ectopic pregnancy, and how would you distinguish?
Miscarriage - bleeding would come first here, and then the pain would come second
Name 2 places outside of the uterus that you may find endometriosis
- Pouch of douglas
- Colon
- Bladder
- Lungs
- CNS
- Pericardium
How is it thought that endometriosis occurs?
- Retrograde menstruation
- Dysfunction of immune system
- lymph / blood spread
- Metaplasia
How would you treat fibroids?
- TXA
- Mirena coil - shrinks fiborids and reduces blood loss
- GnRH can be used to shrink the fibroids before removal
Patients that want to reamin fertile:
- myomectomy
Older patients who dont want childrne:
- Hysterectomy
What is a serious complication of fibroids?
Red degeneration - causes pain, uterine tenderness, vomiting, severe pain, fever. Lead to necrosis.
Name 3 causes of miscarriage
- Thrombophillias
- Infection
- Chromosomal abnroamlities (why seen in women of increasing age)
What is a threatened miscarriage?
- Cervical os closed
- Bleeding during pregnancy
- Pregnancy may still be viable
What is a missed / delayed miscarriage?
- Fetus is dead but retained within the uterus.
- Uterus is small for dates
- Picked up on US
What is an incomplete miscarriage?
Cervical os open, some of the POC have come out of the vagina.
What is an inevitable miscarriage?
Cervical os is open - miscarriage will occur, progress to either complete or incomplete.
What is a complete misscarriage?
US, no POC in the uterus.
What is the treatment for miscarriage
medical and non-medical
Management:
- EPAU
- Counselling
Medical
- MISOPRISTOL (opens the cervix)
Surgical and equipment-
- Forceps
- Surgery
List 3 factors associated with miscarriage
- Smoking
- Maternal age
- Previous miscarriages
- Stress/ anxiety
Define primary PPH
Severe blood loss < 24 hours of birth
Which test is used to determine ovulation?
Mid luteal progesterone 7 days before end of cycle (bleeding)
USUALLY DAY 21.
How does COCP work?
- Small risk of breast and endometrial and cervical cancer
- Risk of VTE
- Doesnt protect against STI
What are the most common causes of heavy mesntrual bleeding?
- Ovulatory
- Coagulation disorders
- Endometrial dysfunction
What are fibroids?
Benign tumours of the MYOMETRIUM
What are polyps?
Benign localised growths of the endometrium
Define primary PPH
Severe blood loss < 24 hours of birth, > 500mls
Define secondary PPH
after 24 hours, > 12 weeks delivery
Can be minor < 500mls or major > 1000mls
What is adenomyosis?
- Endometrium in the myometrium
- LOTS OF PAIN
How do you treat adenomyosis?
- Hysterectomy definitive treatment -
Why do you need to know if the uterus is retroverted or. anterior?
Surgery = may damage it with intrsuments that push trhough the wall
List causes of heavy menstrual bleeding
- Hypothyroid
- Fibroids
- Polyps
- Ovarain cyst
- Endometriosis
- PID
- Medications - blood thinners
What is the treatment for fibroids?
< 3cm then MIRENA COIL
If a woman wants children:
- Myomectomy
- Uterine artery ablation
If a women doesn’t want children, older
- May do hysterectomy if there is loads
What investigations would you do for someone with irregular menstrual bleeding?
- FBC / haemanitics
- Coagulation
- TFTs
- TVUS
- US abdo and pelvis
What is the first line treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding?
- COCP (if no contraindications)
- Progesterone only pill
- Mirena
Why do you need to know if the uterus is retroverted or. anterior?
May damage it with intrsuments that push though the wall e.g. surgery, insertion of the coil
What is the first line treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding?
- Mirena
- COCP (if no contraindications)
- Progesterone only pill
Women that want to get pregnant soon:
- TXA
- Mefanamic
- Progestins e.g. northisterone
Women that don’t want any more children / are older:
- Hysterectomy
- Endometrial ablation
What type of drug is TXA?
Antifibrinolytic
What type of drug is mefenamic acid?
NSAID
COX inhibitor
Why is Danazol not a mainstay treatment?
Can cause male hair growth in women
What would the levels of FSH and LH be like in post-menopausal women?
HIGH (no inhibition from oestrogen)
What 3 infections are screened for antenatally?
Blood test
HIV, Hep B, Syphillis
What are the risk factors for PPH?
- Macrosomia
- Multiple pregnancies
- Infections
- Shoulder dystocia