And even though anovulation is the most common cause of DUB, there are other causes as well. Women with ovulatory cycles cycles that involve ovulation may also experience DUB, though not nearly as often. Women s menstrual cycles vary tremendously in duration, frequency, and intensity, making it difficult to know when something is in fact abnormal. Women who have DUB may experience any of a variety of patterns of bleeding . DUB is usually painless.
Diagnosis involves ruling out all of the other various causes of abnormal bleeding.
Treatment is based on the intensity and timing of the bleeding, as well as the patient s age and whether she is trying to get pregnant or not. The endometrium is the mucous surface that lines the inside of the uterus. Like all the parts of a woman s reproductive system, it is incredibly responsive to hormonal changes in the uterine environment. It contains several layers of cells that vary in appearance and amount as a woman's menstrual cycle changes and the levels of estrogen and progesterone go up and down. During the luteal phase, for example, the two-week period just before a woman bleeds, the endometrium is thick, its epithelial cells are enlarged, the glands bulging, and the arteries swollen.