Important

• Topic Overview
• Causes
• Symptoms
• What Happens
• What Increases risk?
• When to Call a Doctor
• Exams & Tests
• Treatment Overview

It is possible that the main title of the report Abnormal Uterine Bleeding is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Topic Overview

Menstruation is a normal, predictable event for most women. In the United States, the average age of the first menstrual period is 12.8 years. After an initial 4- or 5-year period of adjustment, the normal menstrual cycle averages:

• 24 to 35 days between cycles.
• 4 to 6 days of bleeding.
• 30 mL of blood lost per menstrual period.

Dysfunctional or abnormal uterine bleeding is a common reason for women to seek medical care. It is defined as abnormal bleeding from the lining of the uterus (endometrial bleeding) that occurs without an underlying disease or problem with the size or shape of the uterus (structural pathology). Dysfunctional uterine bleeding includes any bleeding from the uterus that:

• Occurs more frequently than every 21 days.
• Lasts longer than 7 days.
• Results in blood loss of more than 80 mL each menstrual cycle

It is very important to carefully evaluate the cause of dysfunctional uterine bleeding because treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis. To accurately diagnose this condition, it is important to know the frequency, duration, and amount of bleeding. It is also important to find out when the menstrual pattern changed and determine whether pregnancy or pelvic infection is present. It may be necessary to obtain a biopsy of endometrial tissue for examination to rule out other diseases, such as uterine (endometrial) cancer. In many cases doctors are not able to identify the cause of abnormal bleeding and may only be able to exclude other serious conditions.

The treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding depends on the severity of the problem and the preferences of each woman and may include:

• Watchful waiting.
• Nonprescription medication, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.
• Prescription medication, such as birth control pills, hormonal therapy, or gonadotropin-releasing hormones.
• Surgery, such as hysterectomy, dilation and curettage, or endometrial ablation.
• Use of the levonorgestrel IUD.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding does not include uterine bleeding caused by other conditions such as blood diseases, endometrial growths or polyps, cancer of the cervix or uterus, or threatened or spontaneous abortion.