A Brief Analysis of the Symptoms and Classification of Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding, abbreviated as DU, is a common gynecological disease. It refers to abnormal uterine bleeding, which after diagnosis, no systemic or reproductive organ organic lesions are found, but rather it is due to dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system. The symptoms include irregular menstrual cycles, excessive menstrual flow, prolonged menstruation, or irregular bleeding. According to surveys, over 90% of adolescent girls and young women experience varying degrees of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. In infertility clinical cases, it has been found that dysfunctional uterine bleeding is one of the causes of infertility. Therefore, women who suffer from dysfunctional uterine bleeding should seek examination and treatment at regular hospitals as early as possible.
So, what are the symptoms and classifications of dysfunctional uterine bleeding?
Gynecological experts introduce: Dysfunctional uterine bleeding clinically manifests as irregular uterine bleeding, menstrual cycle disorder, extended bleeding time, heavy menstrual flow, and even massive bleeding or continuous spotting. Based on whether ovulation occurs, DU is typically divided into two major categories: anovulatory type and ovulatory type, with the former being more common, accounting for about 80-90%, mainly occurring during adolescence and perimenopause, while the latter is more common in women of childbearing age.
[1] Anovulatory Type DU
Clinical Manifestations: After a period of amenorrhea, bleeding occurs, which may be irregular. The amount of bleeding, its duration, and intervals are unpredictable. Some may only show increased menstrual flow and prolonged menstruation. Heavy bleeding can cause severe anemia.
Anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding often occurs during adolescence, meaning that adolescent dysfunctional uterine bleeding falls under this category. Adolescent dysfunctional uterine bleeding is related to ovarian function. Normally, the ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone, which regularly change and cause cyclical changes in the endometrium. However, during adolescence, the ovaries have not yet fully developed, and the coordination between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and ovaries is incomplete, making ovarian function unstable; additionally, emotional fluctuations, environmental and climate changes, and poor nutrition in adolescent females often affect the cerebral cortex's regulation of ovarian function.
This leads to ovulation disorders, where the ovarian follicles develop and enlarge without ovulating, thereby continuously secreting estrogen. The endometrium, under the long-term influence of estrogen, undergoes excessive proliferation and becomes very thick. However, the secretion of estrogen fluctuates greatly. When the level of estrogen secretion decreases, the endometrium loses hormonal support and sheds, causing bleeding; when the level of estrogen secretion rises, the uterine bleeding stops. Therefore, clinically, there is heavy menstrual flow and irregular menstruation.
[2] Ovulatory Type DU
Clinical Manifestations: Regular menstrual cycles, but shortened cycles, or spotting several days before menstruation, with no change in menstrual flow.
Ovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding mostly occurs in women of childbearing age, usually during the recovery period after childbirth or abortion.
In ovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding, the ovaries ovulate every month, but due to poor development of the ovarian follicles, although a corpus luteum forms, the amount of progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum is insufficient, or the duration of progesterone secretion is shorter, leading to the shedding of the endometrium. This situation manifests as spotting before and after menstruation, or bleeding between two menstrual periods, and a shortened menstrual cycle. This condition mostly occurs in young women of childbearing age, especially after childbirth or abortion. The treatment principle for dysfunctional uterine bleeding is to stop bleeding and regulate menstruation.
Experts remind: Generally speaking, the gonadal axis of women of childbearing age should be in a stable state. Abnormal uterine bleeding is mostly due to organic lesions such as inflammation, polyps, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, etc. Therefore, if women experience symptoms of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, they should promptly go to the hospital for examination and confirmation to avoid delaying the condition, which could impose a greater burden on the body.
This article is excerpted from: Changchun Gynecology Hospital Official Website Original Address: http://www.tjfk999.com/nafenmishidiaoxing/201104222317.html For more information on gynecological diseases, please visit the official website of Changchun Gynecology Hospital.