Women's Healthcare and Gynecological Disorders

Vocabulary flashcards covering women's health screening, menstrual disorders, menopause, reproductive tract infections, benign breast and pelvic disorders, and gynecological cancers based on lecture notes.

Mammogram

Primary screening tool used to detect breast lumps long before they are enlarged enough to be palpated; recommended as biennial screening between 50 and 74 years of age for women at average risk of breast cancer.

Papanicolaou (Pap) Test

Screening test for cervical cancer starting at age 21 that obtains cell samples from the squamocolumnar junction of the cervix and endocervix.

Bethesda System

A standard terminology system for reporting Pap test results that describes specimen adequacy, a general descriptive category (normal or abnormal), and descriptive diagnosis for abnormal cytology.

Amenorrhea

Absence of menstruation for 3 months or more in women with established regular menstruation, or 6 months in women with irregular periods.

Dysmenorrhea

Painful periods caused by excessive production of endometrial prostaglandins during the late luteal phase, leading to abnormal uterine muscle contractions, ischemia, and hypoxia.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

A group of symptoms occurring during the second half of the menstrual cycle that affects 90% of women, characterized by severe anger, aggression, anxiety, and depression.

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Bleeding that is abnormal in amount, timing, frequency, or duration, which can lead to anemia and present as soaking through a pad every 1-2 hours or passing large blood clots.

Endometriosis

A chronic disease in which tissue resembling the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing inflammation, scarring, pelvic pain (especially around menstruation), and fertility problems.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Menopause hormone therapy containing estrogen plus progesterone used for women who have an intact uterus to prevent endometrial hyperplasia.

Vasomotor Symptoms

Hot flashes and night sweats during menopause, most effectively treated systemically with estrogen, or nonhormonally with SSRIs/SNRIs, Gabapentin, or Fezolinetant.

Fezolinetant

A nonhormonal medication used to treat vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) by targeting temperature-regulating pathways.

Dyspareunia

Pain with sexual intercourse, which during menopause commonly results from vaginal dryness, tissue thinning, and reduced elasticity.

Vaginal Candidiasis

A non-STI infection caused by Candida albicans overgrowth, presenting with vaginal and perineal itching, burning on urination, and white "cottage cheese" discharge.

Trichomoniasis

A sexually transmitted infection caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis, presenting with thin or frothy, malodorous, yellow-green or brownish-gray vaginal discharge and a vaginal pH > 4.5.

Bacterial Vaginosis

A condition where normal lactobacilli are replaced by Gardnerella vaginalis or anaerobic bacteria, characterized by thin, grayish-white vaginal discharge with a fishy odor.

Chlamydia

A sexually transmitted infection caused by the gram-negative bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, often asymptomatic, but can cause yellowish discharge and dysuria, and may ascend to cause PID.

Gonorrhea

A sexually transmitted infection caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae that can cause purulent discharge, dysuria, and dyspareunia, and is associated with tubal scarring, infertility, and PID.

Herpes Genitalis

An incurable infection caused by HSV (typically HSV-2), presenting with clusters of painful vesicles/blisters on the vulva or perineum, flu-like symptoms, and periodic reactivation from dormancy.

Condylomata Lata

Highly contagious, wart-like skin eruptions that develop on the vulva during the secondary stage of syphilis.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

An ascending infection of the upper reproductive tract primarily caused by C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae, leading to chronic tubal scarring, peritubal adhesions, and cervical motion tenderness.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

A virus transmitted primarily through direct sexual contact that causes dry, cauliflower-like genital warts and is strongly associated with cervical cancer.

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)

A rare, potentially fatal condition caused by toxin-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus that alters capillary permeability, causing hypovolemia, hypotension, shock, and a sunburn-like rash.

Fibrocystic Breast Changes

A benign condition characterized by heightened responsiveness of breast tissue to estrogen and progesterone, presenting with bilateral, movable, lumpy/rubbery nodules and mastalgia that worsens premenstrually.

Fibroadenoma

The most common discrete benign breast lump in young women ("breast mouse"), presenting as a firm, painless, rubbery, highly mobile mass usually located in the upper outer quadrant.

Intraductal Papilloma

A small, wart-like benign growth inside a breast milk duct that commonly causes spontaneous, unilateral clear or bloody nipple discharge.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises

Exercises designed to strengthen the pubococcygeus muscle by contracting for 3 to 10 seconds, relaxing for 10 seconds, and performing 30 to 80 daily repetitions continuously for life.

Pessary

A removable silicone supportive device inserted into the vagina to hold the uterus in position; considered a first-line treatment for pelvic organ prolapse when surgery is contraindicated.

Polyps

Benign tissue overgrowths attached by a thin stalk or broad base in the cervix or endometrium, presenting with spotting, intermenstrual bleeding, or postcoital bleeding.

Uterine Fibroids (Leiomyomas)

Estrogen-dependent, noncancerous smooth muscle tumors of the uterus that grow during childbearing years and atrophy after menopause, causing heavy periods and pelvic pressure.

Myomectomy

A surgical procedure to remove uterine fibroids while leaving the uterus intact for women who desire future pregnancy.

Follicular Cyst

A functional ovarian cyst formed during normal ovulation when a follicle fails to release an egg and continues growing filled with fluid.

Corpus Luteum Cyst

A functional ovarian cyst that occurs after ovulation when the corpus luteum seals and fills with fluid or blood.

Ovarian Torsion

A surgical emergency where an ovarian cyst causes the ovary to twist on its pedicle, cutting off blood supply and causing sudden, severe unilateral pelvic pain with nausea and vomiting.

Unopposed Estrogen

Prolonged estrogen exposure without sufficient progesterone to limit endometrial proliferation, serving as a key risk factor for endometrial hyperplasia and uterine cancer.