Medical Problems: Polymenorrhea

OVERVIEW

This page is designed to organize content that is relevant to the topic of polymenorrhea. This term is used often in medicine, and it is important that we become as familiar as possible with it.

Patients who have polymenorrhea experience menstruation more frequently then expected (source).
WHAT EXACTLY IS IT?

Before going any farther, let us make sure we clearly define the “medical problem”. Polymenorrhea refers to a menstrual cycle that occurs more frequently then expected. While different day cutoffs can be used, often a menstrual cycle interval of 21 days or fewer is used to characterize a menstrual bleeding pattern as polymenorrhea.

Polymenorrhea is a subcategory of ovulatory dysfunction which in turn is a subcategory of abnormal uterine bleeding.

WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?

 

ORGANIZING THE DIFFERENTIAL

The differential diagnosis for polymenorrhea can be organized in a few different ways:

  • Can’t miss diagnosis
  • Organ systen
  • Disease category
  • Diagnostic modality
  • Most common diagnosis
CLINICAL “WORKUP”

Now that the possible causes of polymenorrhea have been established, the focus can shift to how one would actually “work-up” a patient who presents with polymenorrhea. 

  • Collecting the history
  • Performing the physical
  • Ordering studies/tests
  • Intrepreting clinical data

 

Page Updated: 01.03.2017