n. failure of the ovary to develop and release a female germ cell (ovum). Anovular menstruation is uterine bleeding in the absence of ovulation.
n. 1. turning out of the eyelid, away from the eyeball. The commonest type is senile ectropion, in which the lower eyelid droops because of laxity of the eyelid in old age. If the muscle that closes the eye (orbicularis oculi) is paralysed the lower lid also droops. Ectropion may also occur if scarring causes contraction of the surrounding facial skin. 2. (cervical ectopy) the replacement of the stratified squamous epithelium that normally lines the vaginal part of the cervix (ectocervix) by columnar epithelium, which has migrated from the *endocervix. As a result, the junction of squamous and columnar epithelia does not coincide with the opening of the cervix into the uterus. Cervical ectropion is caused by exposure to higher levels of oestrogen, which occurs normally at certain times (e.g. at puberty or in pregnancy) or with *anovulation. It usually causes no symptoms but in a few cases may be associated with postcoital bleeding and a mucoid vaginal discharge.... ectropion
Health Encyclopedia