Credits Hours: 1.00

Course Description:
A significant number of all prehospital encounters involve problems arising from gynecologic causes. An understanding of the key features of gynecologic emergencies can help the EMS professional to appropriately respond to these situations. This course starts with the basics of menstruation and ovulation and then quickly moves to review important aspects of ectopic pregnancy, the No. 1 killer of women in the first trimester of pregnancy. After that you will examine other gynecological-related causes of non-traumatic abdominal pain. Sexual assault is addressed next, followed by a discussion of the evaluation and treatment of abdominal pain and gynecological emergencies.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this online activity, the participant will be able to

• Describe the normal physiological processes of menstruation and ovulation.
• Describe the pathophysiology and distinguishing features of ectopic pregnancy.
• Describe the pathophysiology and management of these causes of nontraumatic abdominal pain: endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, ruptured ovarian cyst, and cystitis.
• Describe the prehospital assessment and management of the female patient with abdominal pain and the patient who has been sexually assaulted.