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Terminology and descriptions used to describe uterine bleeding consistent with the FIGO Menstrual Disorders Working Group consensus statement
characteristic | terminology | description |
volume | heavy menstrual bleeding | excessive menstrual blood loss which interferes with the woman’s physical, emotional, social and material quality of life and which can occur alone or in combination with other symptoms |
regularity (normal variation ±2 to 20 days) | irregular menstrual bleeding | a range of varying lengths of bleeding-free intervals exceeding 20 days within one 90-day reference period |
absent menstrual bleeding (amenorrhoea) | no bleeding in a 90-day period | |
frequency (normal every 24 to 38 days) | infrequent menstrual bleeding | bleeding at intervals >38 days apart (1 or 2 episodes in a 90-day period) |
frequent menstrual bleeding | Bleeding at intervals < 24 days apart(more than 4 episodes in a 90-day period) | |
duration (normal 3 to 8 days) | prolonged menstrual bleeding | describes menstrual blood loss which exceeds 8 days in duration |
shortened menstrual bleeding | menstrual bleeding less than 3 days in duration | |
irregular, non-menstrual bleeding | intermenstrual | irregular episodes of bleeding, often light and short, occurring between otherwise fairly normal menstrual periods |
post-coital | bleeding post-intercourse | |
premenstrual and post-menstrual spotting | bleeding that may occur in a regular basis for one or more days before or after the recognised menstrual period | |
bleeding outside reproductive age | post-menopausal bleeding | bleeding occurring more than one year after the acknowledged menopause |
precocious menstruation | bleeding occurring before the age of 9 years | |
acute or chronic AUB | acute AUB | an episode of bleeding in a woman of reproductive age, who is not pregnant, that is of sufficient quantity to require immediate intervention to prevent further blood loss |
chronic AUB | bleeding that is abnormal in duration, volume and/or frequency and has been present for most of the last 6 months |
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