Women's Health

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Women’s health focuses on strategies to promote the health and well-being of patients assigned female at birth. Common problems addressed in women’s health are menstrual and breast disorders.

Okay, so two common menstrual disorders are amenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menses, or a menstrual period, which can be primary or secondary. Primary amenorrhea is when the first menses doesn't occur by age 15 or within 3 years after developing breasts. It’s often caused by disorders in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis; chromosomal abnormalities; or structural abnormalities of the uterus, vagina, or hymen that obstruct flow.

Secondary amenorrhea is when a regular menstrual cycle stops for at least 3 months, or when an irregular menstrual cycle stops for at least 6 months. Secondary amenorrhea can be caused by natural processes, like pregnancy, lactation, and menopause; or by underlying conditions, like polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disease, or an eating disorder.

Diagnosis begins with a history and physical examination. Then, laboratory tests will be performed to identify potential causes, like human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG to confirm pregnancy; thyroid stimulating hormone, or TSH to check for a thyroid disorder; and reproductive hormone levels, such as serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and androgens to identify endocrine problems.

Treatment will address the underlying condition and can include hormone replacement therapy or contraceptives to restart regular menstruation and promote normal ovarian function.

Now, abnormal uterine bleeding, or AUB, refers to bleeding that’s heavy, extended, frequent, or irregular. AUB can be caused by an underlying condition, like uterine fibroids or polyps; cancerous lesions; coagulation problems, from medications like anticoagulants or clotting disorders, like von Willibrand disease; or complications of pregnancy, such as spontaneous abortion.