Medical management of abnormal uterine bleeding in a tertiary care hospital – A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common gynecological disorder among women of reproductive age, interfering with their day-to-day activity. A better understanding of commonly used drugs in the medical management reduces the need of unnecessary surgical procedures and benefits both the patient and health-care providers. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to study the patient characteristics and prescription pattern in the medical management of AUB and to assess the menstrual blood loss by pictorial blood loss assessment chart (PBAC) and the association between different treatment groups with PBAC score. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at gynecology OPD, Vanivilas Hospital, Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute, Bengaluru, from January 2019 to January 2020 with approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, BMCRI, Bengaluru. A total of 200 AUB patients on medical treatment were included for the study, demographic data and relevant data on drug prescription were recorded in the case record form. Menstrual blood loss was assessed using PBAC. Association between PBAC score and different medical treatment groups was determined. Results: AUB was observed mostly in the age group of 21–30 years (35.5%), multiparous women (69.5%) were at higher risk of developing AUB, ovulatory dysfunction (44.5%) was the common cause of AUB in reproductive age group. Medical management included hormonal (36.3%), non-hormonal (21%), combined (9.3%), and concomitant medications (33.4%). Median of PBAC score was 75. There was no significant association among different treatment groups and PBAC score. Conclusion: Majority of AUB patients received hormonal treatment had functional causes with normal PBAC score. This study gives an overview of medical management of AUB in a tertiary care hospital.