Author Question: A young woman presents with vaginal itching and irritation of recent onset. Her labia are swollen, ... (Read 339 times)

olgavictoria · **on:** Jun 25, 2018

A young woman presents with vaginal itching and irritation of recent onset. Her labia are swollen, and she has a frothy yellowish discharge with an unpleasant smell and a pH of 6.8.

She has been celibate during the last 6 months and has been taking antibiotics for a throat infection. Which medication is most likely to clear her symptoms?
A)
Azithromycin
B)
Valacyclovir
C)
Penicillin
D)
Metronidazole

Question 2

Long, stretchy cervical mucus that exhibits ferning on a microscope slide is characteristic of which of the following?

A)
Crystallization of inorganic salts
B)
Low estrogen levels
C)
High progesterone levels
D)
Low human chorionic gonadotropin levels

aburgess · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Ans:
D

Feedback:

The character of the discharge, lack of recent sexual activity, and current antibiotic treatment point to infection with Trichomonas vaginalis, which can exist asymptomatically and flare up only if conditions such as an imbalance in normal vaginal flora resulting from antibiotic treatment enable the protozoan to proliferate. Patients with trichomoniasis respond well to treatment with metronidazole.

Answer to Question 2

Ans:
A

Feedback:

Cervical mucus that exhibits ferning and so-called spinnbarkeit occurs right around the time of ovulation (midcycle) due to increased water content and alteration in the concentration of inorganic salts. This is influenced by high serum levels of estrogen, which lead to the LH spike that promotes ovulation (bursting of the oocyte from the mature follicle). Progesterone levels increase only after ovulation during the luteal phase, at which point the cervical mucus dries up (becomes more scant).