Problems and Diseases of the Female Reproductive System

IRREGULAR PERIODS

Many women have cycles that vary considerably in length, this is normal. When does irregularity become abnormal, then menstruation that's so irregular that it seems not to be a cycle at all is considered abnormal, as is bleeding that occurs at intervals of less than eighteen or more that forty two days. If either of these patterns develop, it may mean that the woman's system is not functioning correctly.

If a woman's ovarian hormones become deficient or out of balance in relation to one another, a disturbance in her pattern of menstruation often follows. Her menstruation may be either too scant or too excessive, or it may stop altogether for a few months. Often, the hormone disturbance can be corrected with artificial hormone preparations, or at least an artificial balance can be achieved until the natural balance return.

PROBLEM WITH THE FALLOPIAN TUBES

The Fallopian tubes can become diseased or inflamed with a severity that's out of proportion to their small size. Inflammation in the tubes (salpingitis) may leave scars and constrictions that prevent egg cells from passing through, making it hard for the woman to become pregnant. Occasionally the tubes are only partially blocked, and the tiny sperm cells can wriggle past the constriction, but then the much larger egg cell can't get down to the uterus. In this case, a pregnancy in the tube may result. This condition, an ectopic prenancy, is relatively rare but always serious, for it is very difficult to detect. Eventually, the tube ruptures and immediate surgery is necessary to stop internal hemorrhage.