Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Adolescent Girls Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is the most common reason for gynecology-related hospital admissions in adolescence. Objectives: The present single-center study aimed to evaluate the diagnosis distribution in adolescents with AUB and to compare the clinical features and treatments of patients with hemoglobin levels below and above 10 g/dL. Methods: The present single-center study retrospectively collected demographic and epidemiological data from adolescents aged 10 - 18 years presenting to our institution with a diagnosis of AUB. Patient data were extracted from electronic medical records and analyzed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation (SD), median, and interquartile range (IQR), were calculated. Patients were classified according to hemoglobin levels (< 10 g/dL as group 1 and >= 10 g/dL as group 2). Results: Among 167 adolescent patients, 35.9% had hemoglobin levels below 10 g/dL. Hospitalization rates were significantly higher in group 1 (86.4%) compared to group 2 (2.8%) (P < 0.001). The most common causes of AUB were anovulation (84.4%) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (11.4%). The primary treatments included combined oral contraceptives (COCs) with iron supplementation (45.5%) and iron alone (28.7%). Erythrocyte transfusion (ERT) was performed in 18% of cases, predominantly in group 1. This study is limited by the lack of a standardized quality of life assessment tool for AUB. The single-center design and retrospective data collection may limit the generalizability of the findings and introduce selection bias, respectively. Conclusions: Anovulation and PCOS are the main causes of AUB in adolescents. Patients with hemoglobin levels below 10 g/dL and active bleeding should be evaluated carefully, as ERT may be necessary. A wide differential diagnosis should always be considered when managing adolescent AUB.