Sexual & reproductive health

Variation from normal menstruation, or from a normal menstrual cycle pattern. This includes abnormalities of the frequency, regularity, flow volume and duration of bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, and unscheduled bleeding on gonadal steroids.

See Termination of pregnancy.

A condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in the muscle layer of the uterus.

Commonly known as ‘birth control’, the act of preventing pregnancy using pharmaceutical, procedural or behavioural methods. Of note, ‘contraceptives’ – methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy – are commonly used for purposes other than pregnancy prevention. Use of the word ‘contraception’ in this topic refers to contraceptive methods and devices used for any reason, including and beyond pregnancy prevention.

Painful menstruation, often referred to as period pain. It can be from menstruation alone - primary dysmenorrhea, or as a result of an underlying cause - secondary dysmenorrhea.

Menopause occurring between 40-45 years of age is called early menopause, with a reported prevalence of 12%.

An inflammatory disease where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body.

Early Pregnancy Assessment Service

The absence of unfair, avoidable, or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically, geographically.

An individual who practises a profession relating to the provision of health care. Health care providers may be required to maintain profession-specific registration with a national board under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme or be self-regulated. A health care provider may also be referred to as a health practitioner, clinician or profession-specific description.

A type of abnormal uterine bleeding. Also known as menorrhagia, HMB is excessive menstrual bleeding which interferes with physical, social, emotional and/or material quality of life.

Refers to the ways in which different aspects of a person’s identity can expose them to overlapping forms of discrimination and marginalisation. For example, gender inequity results in women having fewer opportunities for living in a safe and equal society where they enjoy equal power, can access resources and opportunities and are treated with dignity, respect and fairness. This can be compounded by other forms of disadvantage or discrimination that people may experience on the basis of Aboriginality, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, occupation or other attributes.

A term used to refer to contraceptives that are highly effective at preventing pregnancy, are long acting and are reversible when removed. The term LARC is usually used to refer specifically to intrauterine devices (both copper and hormonal) and the implant, and this is how it is used in this topic. We note that some researchers also include DMPA injections as LARCs.

When menopause happens because of surgery or treatment, rather than naturally. It happens earlier than you would normally have gone through menopause and is the direct result of an operation or medicine.

In Australia MTOP involves taking two medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, marketed as MS-2 Step. In Australia, MTOP is most often used to refer to an Early Medical Abortion (EMA), which is the approved use of MS-2 Step up to 63 days gestation. Internationally, as endorsed by the WHO, mifepristone and misoprostol are often used up to 12 weeks’ gestation. In Australia, after 63 days gestation, mifepristone and/or misoprostol may also be used to medically induce a TOP, commonly referred to as a medical induction (of labour).

MHT are hormones that are prescribed during the menopause transition and menopause to alleviate oestrogen deficiency symptoms such as hot flushes, mood swings, vaginal dryness and to prevent or treat osteoporosis.

Menopause refers to the final menstrual period and is said to have occurred when there have been no menstrual periods for one year. The average age of menopause in Australian women is 51 years (range 45-55 years).

The involuntary, spontaneous loss of an intrauterine pregnancy prior to 20 weeks’ gestation. This includes complete, incomplete, missed, threatened and recurrent miscarriage.

The marketed name of the combined regimen of (TGA approved) misoprostol and mifepristone.

Perimenopause refers to the time from the onset of a change in menstrual cycle pattern or onset of menopausal symptoms, through to one year after the last menstrual period. The average duration is 4-6 years with onset in the fifth decade of life (40’s). It is also referred to as the menopause transition.

A multi-system condition that has metabolic, reproductive, psychological and dermatological features.

The unplanned loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks’ gestation, including miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancies.

Loss of ovarian function in women younger than 40 years of age affecting approximately 4% of women. In most women, POI occurs spontaneously, and the cause is unknown. POI was previously referred to as premature ovarian failure; however, the preferred term is now premature (or primary) ovarian insufficiency.

Different groups within society who experience a disproportionate burden of disease, leading to differences in health outcomes and life expectancy.

A procedure, performed by a trained health professional, to remove pregnancy tissue from the uterus. Can be done using a suction (up until about 14 weeks gestation) or a dilation and evacuation (D & E) (often used after 14 weeks gestation).

Two or more miscarriages in pregnancies up to 20 weeks’ gestation (whether or not a gestational sac is present and whether or not the miscarriages are consecutive).

‘Self-managed abortion involves any action that is taken to end a pregnancy outside of the formal healthcare system’. Someone self managing abortion may be supported by health professionals at different stages. Self-managed abortion can include, but is not always, unsafe abortion.

Experiencing sexual and reproductive health means that a person has complete physical, mental and social well-being in all matters relating to their reproductive system and its functions. In everyday life, this means that people are able to have satisfying and safer sex lives, to have healthy pregnancies and births, and decide if, when and how often to have children.

The socio-ecological model of health “states that health is affected by the interaction between the characteristics of the individual, the community, and the environment that includes the physical, social, and political components.” It is often characterised by nesting circles placing the individual at the centre and aspects of the environment around them.

Sexually Transmitted Infection

See Procedural/surgical termination of pregnancy (STOP).

Commonly called ‘abortion’, involves intentionally ending a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of the embryo or fetus and placenta from the uterus.

Self-management or attempted self-induction of abortion using unsafe or invasive methods, including healthcare avoidance for complications of self-managed abortion and visiting untrained abortion providers. Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity in contexts where abortion access is highly restricted.