A descriptive study on clinical histopathological and ultrasonological characteristics of women with perimenopausal bleeding in a tertiary referral hospital

Abstract

Background: Perimenopause is a crucial point in the life of a woman when she faces a lot of changes in her body and menstrual pattern. Abnormal bleeding patterns which can be heavy and erratic are experienced by a significant number of women in the perimenopausal transition abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the most common gynecological problems and it affects her quality of life of a woman as well. For managing this problem, it is important to understand the clinical picture of AUB aided with imaging by ultrasound and histopathology. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to study the clinical features and the ultrasonography of the uterus and histopathology of endometrium in patients with perimenopausal bleeding and to correlate with histopathology. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted over a duration of 12 months. All perimenopausal women who attended the outpatient department with complaints of AUB who fit the inclusion criteria were recruited in the study. Based on the clinical features, sonological profile, and histopathology report, data was analyzed to meet the aims and objectives of the study. Results: In the study population of 105 patients, 72 patients had normal endometrium (68.5%) which was constituted by proliferative and secretory endometrium while 31.5% had abnormal endometrium constituted by disordered proliferative endometrium. For the 105 patients in the study, proliferative endometrium was seen in 41 patients and the thickness ranged between 8 mm and 10 mm. Secretory endometrium was seen in 31 patients and the thickness is ranged between 10 mm and 12 mm. Disordered proliferative endometrium was seen in 33 patients and the endometrial thickness ranged between 12 mm and 14 mm. Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) was present in 23 patients with secretory endometrium. Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) was present in 23 patients with secretory endometrium. Conclusion: There is a significant association between the clinical pattern of bleeding with ultrasound profile and histopathology in women with perimenopausal AUB.