Female Reproductive System

Read the case study and complete the whole lesson. Afterward, answer the questions related to the clinical case. This practical exercise will help you apply your newly acquired knowledge to real-world scenarios and improve your critical thinking skills.

Case study:

Amy Johnson, a 35-year-old woman, visited her gynecologist, Dr. Anderson, complaining of irregular menstrual cycles and pelvic pain. She also shared concerns about difficulty in conceiving despite actively trying to get pregnant for the last two years.Amy’s medical history revealed no significant issues, and she was generally healthy. She mentioned experiencing painful periods with heavy bleeding and intense cramps, often needing over-the-counter pain medication.Upon examination, Dr. Anderson noted tenderness in Amy’s lower abdomen and decided to perform a pelvic ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed the presence of uterine fibroids, benign growths within the uterine wall.Dr. Anderson explained that the fibroids could be responsible for Amy’s symptoms and infertility. He recommended a hysterosalpingography (HSG) to assess the fallopian tubes’ condition and their ability to transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus.The HSG results showed that Amy’s fallopian tubes were clear and functioning well. However, due to the fibroids’ size and location, Dr. Anderson suggested a minimally invasive surgical procedure called hysteroscopic myomectomy to remove the fibroids.

After completing the lesson, students should be able to answer the following questions related to Amy’s case:

  1. What were Amy’s primary complaints when she visited her gynecologist?
  2. What is the purpose of a hysterosalpingography (HSG) test in the assessment of female reproductive health?
  3. Why did Dr. Anderson recommend a hysteroscopic myomectomy for Amy?
  1. Amy’s primary complaints were irregular menstrual cycles, pelvic pain, painful periods with heavy bleeding, and intense cramps. She also experienced difficulty conceiving for the past two years.
  2. A hysterosalpingography (HSG) test is performed to evaluate the condition of the fallopian tubes and their ability to transport eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. It helps assess the patency of the fallopian tubes and detect any blockages or abnormalities that could impede the fertilization process.
  3. Dr. Anderson recommended a hysteroscopic myomectomy for Amy because the ultrasound revealed the presence of uterine fibroids. These benign growths within the uterine wall could have been responsible for her irregular cycles, pain, and difficulty conceiving. Hysteroscopic myomectomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to remove fibroids from the uterine cavity, potentially improving reproductive health.

Prefixes: Female Reproductive System

PrefixMeaningExample
Ante-BeforeAntepartum (before childbirth)
Dys-Painful, difficultDysmenorrhea (painful menstruation)
Endo-WithinEndometriosis (growth in the uterus)
Multi-ManyMultigravida (multiple pregnancies)
Nulli-NoneNullipara (woman who never gave birth)
Peri-AroundPerineum (area around the vagina and anus)

Combining Forms: Female Reproductive System

Combining FormMeaningExample
Cervic/oCervix/neckCervicitis (inflammation of the cervix)
Colp/oVaginaColposcopy (examination of the vagina)
Gynec/oWoman, femaleGynecology (study of female health)
Oophor/oOvaryOophorectomy (removal of an ovary)
Salping/oFallopian tubeSalpingitis (inflammation of fallopian tubes)
Uter/oUterusUterine (related to the uterus)

Suffixes: Female Reproductive System

SuffixMeaningExample
-algiaPainDyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse)
-ectomySurgical removal ofHysterectomy (removal of the uterus)
-itisInflammationEndometritis (inflammation of the uterine lining)
-plastySurgical repairEpisiotomy (surgical repair of the perineum)
-rrhagiaExcessive flowMenorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding)
-salpinxFallopian tubeSalpingectomy (removal of fallopian tubes)