Ovarian dysfunction is a disorder of hormonal activity of these organs caused by an endocrine disease or an inflammatory process. As a result, there is a violation of the menstrual cycle, and there is no timely ovulation. The danger of this disease lies in the fact that women can take it for a feature of their own body. This feature manifests itself in the form of a non-standard duration of the menstrual cycle.
The content of the article:
Causes of ovarian dysfunction
Symptoms of ovarian dysfunction
Diagnosis of ovarian dysfunction
Treatment of ovarian dysfunction
Ovarian dysfunction
According to the International Classification of Diseases, this pathology refers to disorders of the endocrine glands and includes:
excess of estrogens;
hypersecretion of ovarian androgens;
polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS, aka Stein-Leventhal syndrome);
primary ovarian insufficiency characterized by low estrogen levels and fraught with premature menopause;
ovarian hyperfunction;
unspecified dysfunction.
It is worth noting that ovarian dysfunction is not only a threat to the ability to conceive. Doctors noticed this trend: the female reproductive system works smoothly only when the whole body is healthy. Thus, abnormalities in the work of the ovaries may indicate the presence of another, sometimes more serious, disease. It is also legitimate to conclude that ovarian dysfunction is not an independent disease, but a condition that characterizes another ailment.
Let’s pay attention to the fact that dysfunctional uterine bleeding can be observed in different periods of a woman’s life:
juvenile;
reproductive;
climacteric.
During the juvenile period, such disorders are not always dangerous. The girl’s endocrine regulation is still immature, and the menstrual cycle has not yet stabilized. After a few months, the DMK stops. However, if this does not happen, you should think about contacting a doctor.
Ovarian dysfunction of the reproductive period may be a sign of approaching infertility. Moreover, as we have already determined, it indicates the development of another disease.
Before menopause, anovulatory dysfunction of the ovaries is often found. This is due to a violation of the production of gonadotropins. The hormonal function of the ovaries as a result of therapy will be suppressed completely.
Causes of ovarian dysfunction
As we have already determined, this condition indicates the presence of any disease in the female body. Here are the most common among them:
hormonal disorders (in particular, problems with the thyroid gland, pituitary gland and hypothalamus);
inflammatory process in the organs of the reproductive system (uterus, appendages or ovaries themselves);
endometriosis;
fibroids and tumors;
internal defects of the ovaries.
In addition, ovarian dysfunction can be provoked by such unfavorable conditions as:
stress or mental fatigue;
aborted pregnancy;
incorrect installation of the intrauterine device;
climate change;
taking medications that affect the reproductive system in a certain way.
It is also worth noting that ovarian dysfunction is also a risk factor for the development of such ailments as mastopathy or malignant tumors of the mammary glands.
Now let’s turn to the characteristics of the condition in which dysfunctional bleeding from the uterus occurs, from the point of view of endocrinology. Remember again what ovarian dysfunction is. This is a disorder of hormonal regulation that ensures the normal performance of the ovaries of their functions. The responsibility for it falls on three hormones:
luteinizing hormone;
follicle stimulating hormone;
prolactin.
Each phase of the menstrual cycle has certain levels of their content. If these levels are within the normal range, then the follicle matures, ovulation occurs, and in the future either pregnancy occurs or menstruation begins.
If there is ovarian dysfunction, the ovulation process is disrupted, and bleeding from the uterus becomes acyclic. Thus, the menstrual cycle does not go through all the necessary phases.
Symptoms of ovarian dysfunction
In patients diagnosed with ovarian dysfunction, the symptoms are usually as follows:
Lengthening or shortening of the menstrual cycle. Normally, the interval between menstruation is from 21 to 35 days, and the bleeding itself lasts from three to seven days. Any deviation from these parameters indicates a violation of ovarian function.
Changes in the volume of blood loss during menstruation. Normally, a woman loses from 50 to 100 ml of blood in one cycle.
Pronounced premenstrual syndrome. Contrary to popular belief, not every woman faces this phenomenon. Those representatives of the fair sex who have everything in order with their health do not know what PMS is.
Spotting in the intervals between menstruation.
Pain in the lower abdomen, appearing immediately before menstruation or in the middle of the cycle.
Signs of anemia: pallor of the skin, tachycardia, dizziness, general weakness, loss of appetite.
Inability to conceive or carry a child.
In addition, when examined by a gynecologist, an accumulation of pus may be found in the ovaries. If the disease is started, a violation of the menstrual cycle can develop into its extreme degree — amenorrhea.
Often, ovarian dysfunction is expressed in such a deviation of the menstrual cycle from the norm as oligomenorrhea. In this case, the menstrual cycle lasts more than forty days. The condition is often accompanied by hirsutism (excessive hair growth in places where the fair sex should not have them), acne, overweight and decreased libido. Such patients have less than eight menstrual cycles per year.
Diagnosis of ovarian dysfunction
In order to determine the upcoming procedures, let’s recall the main characteristics of such pathology as ovarian dysfunction: what is it, what kinds of things happen, what causes it.
From the above we can conclude:
This condition is associated with the reproductive and endocrine systems, therefore, you need to contact a gynecologist-endocrinologist.
In different periods of the body’s development, the essence of the deviation is not the same, so the examination will take place with varying degrees of detail of certain moments.
At every age, there are increased threats of certain “female” diseases, therefore, special attention will be paid to them during diagnosis.
The following diagnostic procedures will be common for all cases:
gynecological examination with sampling for flora and tests for sexual infections;
ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, thyroid gland, adrenal glands;
blood tests for the level of hormones: sexual (LH, FSH, prolactin, progesterone), thyroid (TSH, T3, T4), adrenal glands (cortisone).
The doctor may also advise to undergo a tomography to exclude a pituitary tumor.
If ovarian dysfunction is suspected in the juvenile period, it is recommended to pay attention to blood clotting. Adolescents often have thrombocytopenia or thrombosthenia, which make themselves felt mainly through frequent nosebleeds in childhood. When the cycle has not yet been established, it is difficult to draw any conclusions without additional research. Therefore, girls are prescribed tests such as:
on the platelet level;
on blood clotting;
at the time of bleeding;
to the level of antithrombin III;
to the level of prothrombin.
If ovarian dysfunction is a reproductive period, it means that you need to pay attention to:
risk of ectopic pregnancy;
consequences of previous abortions of pregnancy;
the cavity and cervix of the uterus (you will need to do curettage).
The menopausal period is complicated for diagnosis by the fact that menstruation itself is irregular in nature. Therefore, additional procedures may be needed:
hysteroscopy (examination of the uterine walls using an optical device);
transvaginal echography;
histological studies.
This is a list of the most common diagnostic methods. The doctor does not always use their full complex — it all depends on the clinical picture of the disease of each particular patient.
Treatment of ovarian dysfunction
For any disease, the golden rule is relevant: prevention is better than treatment. Although the pathology we are considering is not a disease in itself, it is also possible to prevent its occurrence. To do this, you need to follow simple recommendations:
visit a gynecologist twice a year;
try to avoid artificial termination of pregnancy;
observe personal hygiene;
lead a healthy lifestyle, including a healthy diet and sufficient physical activity;
take hormonal medications strictly following the scheme developed by the doctor;
timely treatment of inflammatory and infectious diseases of the pelvic organs.
However, if prevention did not help, do not despair. Ovarian dysfunction is being treated, and after six months the patient will be able to start trying to get pregnant. The main methods of treatment offered by modern medicine:
treatment of diseases that have provoked ovarian dysfunction;
hormone therapy;
acupuncture;
support of the body with vitamins, biologically active additives, homeopathic preparations;
psychotherapy.
After the course of treatment, in order to prevent relapse, the patient is prescribed progesterone. It should be consumed from the 16th to the 26th day of the menstrual cycle, before the start of menstruation. If a woman does not want to postpone pregnancy, then she will have to undergo ovulation stimulation. Appropriate medications should be taken from the 5th to the 29th day of the menstrual cycle. At the same time, the doctor with the help of ultrasound should monitor the rate at which the follicle develops. Stimulation is carried out on average three cycles in a row. In the case when the patient is not set up for procreation, oral contraceptives are selected for her, which stabilize the menstrual cycle and help eliminate the negative consequences of dysfunction.
Girls who have symptoms of ovarian dysfunction, herbal treatment is sometimes chosen first. Many believe that medicinal plants will help to normalize the body and prevent unwanted hormone therapy. However, do not forget that this condition is caused by endocrine disorders, and appropriate treatment cannot be avoided. When it comes to such a serious condition as ovarian dysfunction, treatment with folk remedies seems very doubtful. It is absolutely impossible to refuse medical care. But still, to support your body, you can turn to non-traditional methods that nature itself offers us.
According to statistics, most often used for these purposes:
mother-and-stepmother with donnik;
the golden thousandth with a donnik;
grushanka;
blueberries;
the hog uterus.
Sometimes a mixture of chamomile flowers, hawthorn and rosehip fruits, as well as nettle, mint and wormwood herbs are used. Another useful collection is a mixture of rosehip fruits, rhodiola rosea root, red brush and leuzea root.
Before using this or that infusion or douching, it is better to consult a doctor. However, he is very likely to say that similar methods were used in the last century. Some believe that folk remedies will have an effect due to auto-suggestion.
Ovarian dysfunction in the modern world is a frequent phenomenon, the severity of which cannot be underestimated. However, gynecology and endocrinology have studied it sufficiently to relieve patients from undesirable consequences, as well as to develop recommendations for prevention. Representatives of the fair sex are only required to be more attentive to their own health. Some experts believe that two factors can prevent the appearance of this condition — avoiding stress and regular sex life.
