Vaginal Bleeding
Basics
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For You
Summary
Menstruation, or period, is a woman's monthly bleeding.Abnormal vaginal bleeding is different from normal menstrual periods. It could be bleeding that is between periods, is very heavy, or lasts much longer than usual. It also includes bleeding that happens before puberty or after menopause. Causes can include
- Uterine fibroids or polyps
- Hormone problems
- Hormone pills, such as birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy (menopausal hormone therapy)
- Cancer of the cervix, ovaries, uterus or vagina
- Thyroid problems
Bleeding during pregnancy can have several different causes. It is not always serious, but to be safe you should contact your health care provider right away.
Pelvic exams, blood tests, imaging tests, and other procedures can help your health care provider diagnose the problem. Treatment depends on the cause. Treatments may include medicines, hormones, and surgery.
Diagnosis and Tests
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Complete Blood Count (CBC)
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C) (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in Spanish
- Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding: Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor (Harvard Medical School)
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Sonohysterography
(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also in Spanish
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Ultrasound -- Pelvis
(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America)
Also in Spanish
Specifics
- Bleeding during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) - PDF Also in Spanish
- Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Also in Spanish
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Uterine Hemorrhage
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Teenagers
- Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB) (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- D and C (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding between periods (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in early pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in late pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish