Abnormal vaginal bleeding in women of reproductive age: a descriptive study of initial management in general practice

Table 4 Initial management by GPs in women with abnormal vaginal bleeding

	All types of bleeding	Irreg. HC-	Irreg. HC+	Excess. HC-	Excess. HC+	Interm. HC-	Interm. HC+
	n = 270*	N = 78	n = 29	n = 80	n = 18	n = 28	n = 34
No medication	167 (62)	48 (62)	21 (72)	34 (43)	9 (50)	26 (93)	28 (82)
Medication	92 (34)	25 (32)	8 (28)	45 (56)	8 (44)	2 (7)	2 (6)
Hormonal treatment	65 (24)	22 (28)	6 (21)	28 (35)	5 (28)	1 (4)	1 (3)
NSAID	13 (5)	2 (3)	1 (3)	8 (10)	2 (11)	0	0
Iron-suppletion	8 (3)	0	1(3)	7 (9)	1 (6)	0	0
Other	6 (2)	1 (1)	1 (3)	2(3)	0	1 (4)	1
Referral to gyn.	11 (4)	5 (6)	0	1 (1)	1 (6)	0	4 (12)

Abbreviations: Irreg.: irregular bleeding. Excess.: excessive bleeding. Interm.: intermenstrual bleeding. HC-: no hormonal contraceptive (included use of copper intrauterine device). HC+: hormonal contraceptive (hormonal contraception pill, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate of levonorgesterel-releasing intrauterine system). Referral to gyn: referral to gynaecologist.*Numbers are n (%).

ISSN: 1472-6874