Treatment of ovulatory and anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding with oral progestogens

Abstract

Six anovulatory and 10 ovulatory women with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) were treated with cyclical oral progestogens (norethisterone or medroxyprogesterone acetate). Anovulatory women were treated from day 12-25 and ovulatory from day 5-25, in doses of 5-10mg 3 times daily. Measured menstrual blood loss was effectively reduced from control to treatment cycles in both anovulatory (control cycle 131ml; treatment 80 and 64ml) and ovulatory women (control cycles 110 and 113ml; treatment 76 and 71 ml). Three women with ovulatory DUB did not show a useful response. Duration of bleeding was reduced in both groups and the pattern of loss changed. These regimens are effective forms of management for most women with ovulatory or anovulatory DUB.