Abnormal uterine bleeding in women of reproductive age: Getting to the diagnosis.

Abstract: Chronic abnormal uterine bleeding holds considerable clinical significance. Up to 50% of reproductive-aged women experience abnormal bleeding. The differential diagnosis list is lengthy, presenting a potential challenge to practitioners in making a definitive diagnosis. Complicating the diagnostic process further, a patient may exhibit overlapping symptoms associated with multiple pathologies. The two International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) systems provide the practitioner with an organized framework of the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding and a pathway to diagnosis.