Prevalence of abnormal uterine bleeding and its associated factors among undergraduate students at a university in Bahia

Abstract

Introduction: Normal uterine bleeding corresponds to physiologic endometrial desquamation, maintaining consistent duration, frequency, regularity, and intensity over time. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) is therefore characterized by alterations in one or more of these parameters, with different diagnoses depending on age group and clinical presentation. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of AUB and its associated factors in university students and to identify clinically relevant correlations. A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted, with data collected between November and December 2024 through an online survey adapted from the Menstrual Bleeding Questionnaire (MBQ). A convenience sample of 271 students with a mean age of 23.04 years was included. Results: The simple prevalence of AUB in the study population was 24.4%. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated identifying the following risk factors for AUB: alcohol consumption, premenstrual symptoms, use of emergency contraception, lack of contraceptive methods, diagnosis of hypothyroidism, and history of postcoital and intermenstrual bleeding. Conversely, the absence of comorbidities was identified as a protective factor among students. Conclusion: The results of this study underscore the importance of research on menstrual disorders among undergraduate students, particularly in identifying associated factors and promoting self-care and health-seeking behaviors among this population.