 |
Last posts on private forums:  sare  2008-06-16 09:56:33 matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:59 pieniadz 2008-04-12 20:52:26
|
|
 |
|
Last posts on private blogs: matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:17 mary 2008-04-12 19:27:47 |
|
|
|
Lastly added medical terms:
|
|
|
|
You are in: Main Page / Medical articles / Gynecology / Abnormal Endometrium
Abnormal endometrial thickening affects many women, they check pap, have biopsy to make sure that endometrial lining is normal. So what does this "abnormal endometrium" mean?
What is endometrium?
The endometrium is a lining of the uterus which prevents from any adhesions between the walls of the myometrium. The endometrium grows into thick, bloody tissue layer during the menstrual cycle. Estrogen makes it grow larger and larger, when progesterone levels increase (produced by ovaries) endometrium changes into the secretory lining. If there is no blosycyst recognised, progesterone levels drop and make the endometrial lining shed through the vagina. If a blastocyst appears in the uterus endometrium becomes decidua - a part of placenta.
Each phase has different histological differences:
- menstrual phase 1-4 mm thin
- proliferative phase 4-14 mm intermediate
- secretory phase 15-28 mm thick
Endometrium is a perfect environment for blastocyt implementation that is why during the pregnancy it doubles its size to provide oxygen and nutrition for your baby. When endometrium is too thin your pregnancy may be endangered.
There are several forms of pathology that may affect endometrium:
1. Adenmyosis
It is a condition in which is charabcterized by the occurrance of endometrial tissue within the myometrium. It causes painful and profuse period.This condition is said to be the effect of an excess of estrogen, during the menopause women no longer produce so much estrogen thereofore they feel better during their periods. The conditions is treated with natural progesterone supplements
2. Endometriosis
It is a condition in which a tissue that resembles endometrium grows beyond or outside, this condition affects women in reproductive age. The tissue may grow in the area of ovaries, space between the rectum and the cervix or less probably on the bladder, intestines, ureters and diaphragm. The symptoms of endometriosis may include painful menstrual cramps, pain gets worse, lower back and abdominal pain, painful sex and painful bowel movements, sometimes vomiting, nausea or diarrhea. Some women suffer from depression and fatigue. The causes or endometriosis include:
- excess of estrogen - medical therapy is often reduced to lowering estrogen levels
- a condition called "retrograde menstruation" menstruation flowing into the pelvis. It is caused by hereditary factors, toxins, long periods of regular menstruation (women in the past used to have more pregnancies and breaks from menstruation cycles).
- hereditary factors - daughters of women with endometriosis are at higher risk of suffering from this disease
- Immune system which is unable to cope with regular menstruation, this may be caused by some allergic reactions or toxins
- estrogen present in birth control pills builds in liver fat cells which changes into a toxin that is removed frrom the body and prevents from further development of the endometriosis
3. Endometrial cancer
The most common type of cancer in women, usually appears during menopause which gives a symptom of vaginal bleeding. There are several cancers which may develop in the uterus: cervical cancer, trophoblastic disease or cancer for the myometrium. With many subtypes of carcinoma the two stages of development carry various prognoses:
Type I - caused by unopposed estrogen exposure and endometrial hyperplasia, usually not invasive and carry good prognosis
Type II - this type occurs mostly in post-menopausal women, it is not associated with increased exposure to estrogen, carry poor diagnosis
The stages of uterus abnormalities develop slowly:
1. Proliferative endometrium
2. Polypoid features
3. Simple hyperplasia - it is unlikely to develop into cancer it is the most benign type
4. Glandular hyperplasia without atypia
5. Complex hyperplasia without atypia
6. Complex hyperplasia with atypia
7. Any type of cytologic atypia features
8. Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia
9. Carcinoma in situ - this is an early form of carcinoma without the invasive tissues
10. Endometrial adenocarcinoma (various subtypes)
11. Adenoacanthoma
12. Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia
13. Invasive carcinoma
Added by:
mary
not connected with health care system
Added on:
2008-05-15 13:22:42 ,
Updated:
2008-05-15 15:12:46
Bibliography:
|
|
