Differential Diagnosis For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB): Disease Categories

OVERVIEW

This page is dedicated to covering the differential diagnosis for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). This differential will be organized by disease categories.

Abnormal uterine bleeding is a self descriptive condition that can have many different etiologies (source)
Abnormal uterine bleeding is a self descriptive condition that can have many different etiologies (source)
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DISEASE CATEGORIES?

When thinking about the differential for AUB the following disease categories come to mind:

  • Obstetrical causes of AUB
  • Structural
  • Nonstructural 
OBSTETRICAL CAUSES OF AUB

Here are some obstetrical causes of AUB. 

STRUCTURAL CAUSES OF AUB

Here are some examples of structural causes of AUB. 

NONSTRUCTURAL CAUSES OF AUB

Here are some examples of nonstructural causes of AUB:

Coagulopathies: these patients are predisposed to many different types of bleeding, and AUB.

Ovulatory dysfunction: the loss of normal ovulation can lead to AUB by changes in hormonal signaling. One example is a state of estrogen signaling that is unopposed by estrogen (which leads to abnormal endometrial growth patterns, and then bleeding).

  • Hyperandrogenism: polycystic ovarian syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia
  • Hypothalamic dysfunction: anorexia nervosa
  • Hyperprolactinemia: thyroid disorder
  • Primary pituitary disease
  • Premature ovarian failure
  • Radiation or chemotherapy
  • Medications
  • Obesity
  • Perimenopausal anovulatory dysfunction

Iatrogenic:

  • Radiation
  • Chemotherapy
  • Medications (contraceptives)
  • Copper IUDs

Endometrial:

  • Infection

Not yet classified 

  • Thyroid disorder

 

Page Updated: 10.13.2016