Reproductive Disorders

🧠 Simplified Notes (With Mnemonics)

🌸 Endometriosis

💡 Definition: Endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus.

🧬 Cause:

• Retrograde flow (menstrual blood goes backward into pelvic cavity)

• Lymphatic/blood spread

📍 Common Sites: Ovaries, bowel, bladder
🩺 Symptoms (3 D’s):

• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)

• Dyspareunia (painful sex)

• Difficulty conceiving (infertility)

🔁 Tissues bleed monthly → inflammation & pain

🎗 Breast Cancer

📊 Common in: Australian women (1 in 9 before age 85)
🧬 Risk factors: Genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, p53), estrogen, age

📌 Symptoms ("B.L.A.S.T"):

• Breast lump

• Leaking nipple (discharge/bleeding)

• Appearance change (skin/nipple)

• Skin thickening or dimpling

• Tenderness or pain

💉 Cervical Cancer

🦠 Main cause: HPV (types 16 & 18)

• Virus disrupts tumour suppressor genes (p53, RB gene)

🎯 Risk factors:

• Smoking

• Unprotected sex

• Poor nutrition (low A, C, folic acid)

• Indigenous background

• Immunosuppression

🩺 Symptoms:

• Irregular bleeding

• Bleeding after sex

• Painful urination

• Heavy discharge

• Pelvic pain

✅ Prevention: HPV vaccine, regular Pap smears

🧔 Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

💡 What is it? Enlarged prostate (non-cancerous) compresses urethra

🧬 Cause: Hormone changes (more estrogen sensitivity)
⚠ Risk Factors:

• Smoking, alcohol

• Obesity

• Low activity

• Western diet

• Diabetes, heart disease

📌 Symptoms ("FUNWISE"):

• Frequency ↑

• Urgency

• Nocturia (night urination)

• Weak stream

• Incomplete emptying

• Straining

• End dribble

🦠 Complications: UTI, kidney failure (from urinary retention)

🧬 Prostate Cancer

🧪 Type: Usually adenocarcinoma
🧬 Cause: Genetic mutations, increased blood vessels (VEGF)
📍 Grows: Often slow, in outer part of prostate

🧳 Spreads to:

• Bones (pelvis, spine, ribs)

• Lungs, liver, adrenal glands

📌 Symptoms:

• Urinary issues like BPH

• Hard lump on rectal exam

• May cause bowel issues if advanced