Female sexual physiology — MCQs

A 17-year-old girl presents to her pediatrician for a wellness visit. She currently feels well but is concerned that she has not experienced menarche. She reports to recently developing headaches and describes them as pulsating, occurring on the left side of her head, associated with nausea, and relieved by ibuprofen. She is part of the school’s rugby team and competitively lifts weights. She is currently sexually active and uses condoms infrequently. She denies using any forms of contraception or taking any medications. Her temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), blood pressure is 137/90 mmHg, pulse is 98/min, and respirations are 17/min. On physical exam, she has normal breast development and pubic hair is present. A pelvic exam is performed. A urine hCG test is negative. Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 51-year-old woman presents to the primary care clinic complaining of trouble sleeping. She reports that she has episodes of "overheating" and "sweating" during the day and at night. The nightly episodes keep her from staying asleep. She also explains how embarrassing it is when she suddenly becomes hot and flushed during work meetings. The patient becomes visibly upset and states that she is worried about her marriage as well. She says she has been fighting with her husband about not going out because she is "too tired." They have not been able to have sex the past several months because "it hurts." Labs are drawn, as shown below: Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH): 62 mIU/mL Estradiol: 34 pg/mL Progesterone: 0.1 ng/mL Luteinizing hormone (LH): 46 mIU/mL Free testosterone: 2.1 ng/dL Which of the following contributes most to the production of estrogen in this patient?

A 41-year-old woman with subclinical hypothyroidism comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of progressively worsening headaches and irregular menses. Her menses had previously occurred at regular 30-day intervals with moderate flow, but her last menstrual period was 12 weeks ago. She also reports that her interest in sexual intercourse has recently decreased. Her serum prolactin level is elevated. Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy for this patient?

A 36-year-old man comes to the clinic for follow-up of his general anxiety disorder. He was diagnosed a year ago for excessive worry and irritability and was subsequently started on paroxetine. He demonstrated great response to therapy but is now complaining of decreased libido, which is affecting his marriage and quality of life. He wishes to switch to a different medication at this time. Following a scheduled tapering of paroxetine, the patient is started on a different medication that is a partial agonist of the 5-HT1A receptor. Which of the following is the most likely drug that was prescribed?

A 21-year-old female presents to her first gynecology visit. She states that six months ago, she tried to have sexual intercourse but experienced severe pain in her genital region when penetration was attempted. This has continued until now, and she has been unable to have intercourse with her partner. The pain is not present at any other times aside from attempts at penetration. The patient is distressed that she will never be able to have sex, even though she wishes to do so. She does not recall ever having a urinary tract infection and has never been sexually active due to her religious upbringing. In addition, she has never tried to use tampons or had a Pap smear before. She denies alcohol, illicit drugs, and smoking. The patient is 5 feet 6 inches and weighs 146 pounds (BMI 23.6 kg/m^2). On pelvic exam, there are no vulvar skin changes, signs of atrophy, or evidence of abnormal discharge. The hymen is not intact. Placement of a lubricated speculum at the introitus elicits intense pain and further exam is deferred for patient comfort. Office urinalysis is negative. Which of the following is a risk factor for this patient’s condition?

A 56-year-old man comes to the clinic complaining of sexual dysfunction. He reports normal sexual function until 4 months ago when his relationship with his wife became stressful due to a death in the family. When asked about the details of his dysfunction, he claims that he is “able to get it up, but just can’t finish the job.” He denies any decrease in libido or erections, endorses morning erections, but an inability to ejaculate. He is an avid cyclist and exercises regularly. His past medical history includes depression and diabetes, for which he takes citalopram and metformin, respectively. A physical examination is unremarkable. What is the most likely explanation for this patient’s symptoms?

A 51-year-old man presents to his physician with decreased libido and inability to achieve an erection. He also reports poor sleep, loss of pleasure to do his job, and depressed mood. His symptoms started a year ago, soon after his wife got into the car accident. She survived and recovered with the minimal deficit, but the patient still feels guilty due to this case. The patient was diagnosed with diabetes 6 months ago, but he does not take any medications for it. He denies any other conditions. His weight is 105 kg (231.5 lb), his height is 172 cm (5 ft 7 in), and his waist circumference is 106 cm. The blood pressure is 150/90 mm Hg, and the heart rate is 73/min. The physical examination only shows increased adiposity. Which of the following tests is specifically intended to distinguish between the organic and psychogenic cause of the patient’s condition?

A 52-year-old woman comes to the physician because of vaginal itchiness and urinary frequency for the past 1 year. She stopped having vaginal intercourse with her husband because it became painful and occasionally resulted in vaginal spotting. Her last menstrual cycle was 14 months ago. She has vitiligo. Her only medication is a topical tacrolimus ointment. Her temperature is 37.1°C (98.8°F), pulse is 85/min, and blood pressure is 135/82 mm Hg. Examination shows multiple white maculae on her forearms, abdomen, and feet. Pelvic examination shows scarce pubic hair, vulvar pallor, and narrowing of the vaginal introitus. Which of the following most likely contributes to this patient's current symptoms?

A 28-year-old female comes to the emergency department complaining of heart palpitations. She has had multiple episodes of these in the past few months. She has found that if she wears tight clothing then sometimes these episodes will stop spontaneously. On presentation to the ED, she feels like her heart is pounding and reports feeling nauseous. She appears mildly diaphoretic. Her blood pressure is 125/75 mmHg, pulse is 180/min, and respirations are 22/min with an O2 saturation of 99% on room air. A neck maneuver is performed and her pulse returns to 90/min with improvement of her symptoms. Stimulation of afferent fibers from which nerve are most responsible for the resolution of her symptoms?

Which of the following cells in the body depends on dynein for its unique functioning?