Chapter 17 Women’s Health Issues: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Diseases and Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
There are many diseases and disorders that can affect the female reproductive system. Some are mild and can be treated with
great success, such as a vaginal yeast infection; however, some can be life threatening, like ovarian cancer, because there are no
symptoms until the disease is in an advanced stage. The following table lists some diseases and disorders of the female reproductive
system.
Disease/ Disorder
Breast Cancer
Symptoms
- Firm painless lump in the breast
- Change in shape or size of the
breast
- Redness, dimpling, or puckering
of the skin
- Nipple discharge
Treatments
- Lumpectomy: Removal of the tumor when there
is no evidence of lymph node involvement. If
lymph nodes are positive, removal of the nodes
along with the tumor and radiation and
chemotherapy.
- Mastectomy:
o Simple: removal of just the breast
o Modified radical: removal of the breast
and axillary lymph nodes
o Radical: removal of the breast, axillary
lymph nodes, and muscles of the chest
wall
Candidiasis
- Thick, cheesy vaginal discharge
- Fluconazole (topical)
(vaginal yeast infection)
- Vaginal itching
- Miconazole (topical)
Cervical Cancer
- Frequent vaginal discharge
- Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
- Bleeding following intercourse
- Removal of abnormal cells
- Sporadic bleeding
- Radiation
- Abnormal cervical cells
- Chemotherapy
- Bleeding following intercourse
- Antibiotic therapy
Cervicitis
Disease/ Disorder
(inflammation of the cervix)
Symptoms
- Vaginal discharge
Treatments
- Change in type of contraception
- Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)
Cystocele
- Bulging in the vaginal wall
- Vaginal wall repair and suspension of the bladder
- Abdominal/pelvic pain during
menstruation
- Analgesics
(bladder hernia which
protrudes into the vaginal
wall)
Dysmenorrhea
(difficult or painful
menstruation)
- Antispasmodics
- Oral contraceptives
- Anti-inflammatory agents
Endometriosis
- Dysmenorrhea
- Pain medications
(growth of endometrial tissue
outside the uterus)
- Heavy menstrual flow
- Oral contraceptives
- Spotting
- Hormone therapy
- Painful intercourse
- Laser surgery
- Hysterectomy
- Presence of multiple fibrous
cysts in the breast
- If necessary, needle aspiration of the cyst
Fibroids/leiomyoma
- Dysmenorrhea
- Small fibroids can be surgically removed
(benign fibrous tumor of the
uterus)
- Heavy menstrual flow
- Medications to shrink the mass
- Enlargement of the uterus
- Hysterectomy, depending on age
- Abdominal pressure
- Analgesics
Fibrocystic breast disease
(benign breast disease with
multiple fibrous cysts)
- Excessive abdominal gas
Ovarian cancer
- Indigestion
- Abdominal bloating
- Aggressive surgery to remove the reproductive
organs
Disease/ Disorder
Symptoms
Treatments
- Nausea
- Radiation
- Abdominal and pelvic
discomfort
- Chemotherapy
- Enlarged ovaries
- Pelvic pain
- Observation of the cyst
- Lower back pain
- Medications
- Menorrhagia
- Surgical intervention
Premenstrual syndrome
(PMS)
- Irritability
- Antidepressants
- Acne
- Diuretics
(variety of symptoms that
appear prior to the menstrual
cycle)
- Fatigue
- Analgesics
- Depression
- Antianxiety medication
- Breast tenderness
- Oral contraceptives
Ovarian cyst
- Diarrhea
- Weight gain
- Muscle spasms
- Loss of libido
Rectocele
- Difficulty emptying the rectum
(protrusion of the rectum
through a herniation of the
vaginal wall)
- Full feeling in the rectum
- Posterior mass
- Surgery to repair vaginal wall with support of the
rectum