Year 2 - Week 4 - Vaginal Bleeding Flashcards
What is the term of excessive period blood loss?
Menorrhagia
What volume constitutes menorrhagia?
> 80ml per menses
What is the definition of menorrhagia?
Excessive menstrual blood loss which interferes with a woman’s physical, social, emotional and/or material quality of life.
What can menorrhagia cause?
Anaemia
What length is the typical period cycle?
21-35 days
What term describes infrequent menstruation?
Oligomenorrhoea
What is the definition of oligomenorrhoea?
Interval of greater than 35 days between menses.
What can cause oligomenorrhoea?
Breastfeeding
Excessive exercise
PCOS
Endocrine disorders
Anorexia
What is the term for the absence of menstruation?
Amenorrhoea
What is the difference between primary and secondary amenorrhoea?
Primary - P has never had a period
Secondary - periods have ceased
What is the term for too frequent menstrual cycles?
Polymenorrhoea
What is the definition of polymenorrhoea?
Periods which occur more frequently than every 21 days.
What is the cause of polymenorrhoea?
Can be puberty influences
Can also be due to endocrine disorders
What is the typical length of bleeding in a menses?
3-7 days
Which term describes painful periods?
Where is the pain felt?
Dysmenorrhoea
Low anterior pelvic pain
In which phase of the cycle are PMS symptoms often experienced?
Luteal phase
Which term describes any bleeding variation from the normal menstrual cycle?
Abnormal uterine bleeding
Which is the most common type of abnormal uterine bleeding?
Heavy menstrual bleeding
What is the name of the bleeding which occurs between clearly defined cyclical menses?
Intermenstrual bleeding
What are the causes of abnormal bleeding using acronym PALM COIEN
Polyms
Adenomyosis
Leiomyoma (Fibroids)
Malignancy or hyperplasia
Coagulopathy
Ovulatory disorders
Iatrogenic (e.g, exogenous hormones)
Endometrial
Not yet classfied
What is Day 1 of the cycle?
First day of period
What are the first and second phases of the menstrual cycle?
First phase - Follicular phase - FSH stimulates the development of a dominant follicle on the surface of the ovary.
Second phase - Luteal phase - LH rises and triggers the follicle to release the ovum.
How far from menstruation does ovulation occur?
14 days before
Which part of the cycle can vary in length - resulting in the variation of cycle lengths between women?
The follicular phase.
What happens if the ovum is not fertilised?
The corpus luteum degenerates, oestrogen and progesterone levels all and blood vessels of endometrium constrict, shed as menstrual blood.
What does the corpus luteum do?
Produces progesterone which prepares the endometrium for implantation.
If a woman presents with heavy menstrual bleeding - what questions should you ask?
Nature of the symptoms
What is ‘normal’ for the patient’s menstrual cycle - length, duration, and any variation in the pattern
The patient’s age
How do the symptoms affect the woman’s quality of life?
Has the patient attended cervical screening as scheduled (where appropriate) and what were the results
Sexual history, including contraceptive use and future plans
Pregnancy history. Could the patient be pregnant now?
Medical history - especially conditions such as endometriosis and coagulation disorders
Surgical history
Family history of coagulation disorders
Drug history - including previous treatment for menorrhagia
Related symptoms - e.g. pelvic pain, inter-menstrual bleeding
When is a physical exam required if the patient has heavy menstrual bleeding?
If they also have any other symptoms - e.g. inter-menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, dysmenorrhoea, pressure symptoms
If a woman has heavy menstrual bleeding and NO other symptoms - what is the appropriate next step?
Initiation of pharmacological treatment
When should you investigate secondary amenorrhoea?
When the periods have stopped for at least 6 months.