Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Abnormal uterine bleeding is a common gynecological presentation, accounting for at least 20% of all new outpatient visits. It has been recognized that thyroid dysfunction may have profound effects on the female reproductive system. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are associated with a variety of changes, including delayed onset of puberty, anovulatory cycles, and abnormally high fetal wastage. Hence, this study was conducted to know the thyroid status of the patient with abnormal uterine bleeding. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in all the patients with abnormal uterine bleeding in a tertiary care hospital from 2 August 2019 to 2 February 2020. Ethical clearance was received from the institutional review committee of KIST Medical College. Convenient sampling was done. Data was collected using a questionnaire which includes patients profile, the pattern of abnormal uterine bleeding, and thyroid profile. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. RESULTS: Out of 79 patients, it was found that 67 (84.8%) were euthyroid, 11 (13.9%) were hypothyroid, and 1 (1.2%) was hyperthyroidism. The most common type of abnormal uterine bleeding was menorrhagia 34 (43%), followed by polymenorrhoea 23 (29%), oligomenorrhoea 13 (16.5%), menometrorrhagia 6 (7.6%), metrorrhagia 2 (2.5%), and hypomenorrhea 1 (1.3%). The maximum number of patients was between 20-25 years with the mean age of 31 years. Among hypothyroid, 7 (8.8%) had subclinical hypothyroidism and 4 (5%) had frank hypothyroidism. CONCLUSIONS: Most females with abnormal uterine bleeding were euthyroid. Menorrhagia was the most common pattern of abnormal uterine bleeding.