[Summary of the standard "Vaginal bleeding" (first revision) of the Dutch College of General Practitioners].

In the first revised version of the Dutch College of General Practitioners' practice guideline 'Vaginal bleeding' a distinction is made between excessive (cyclical), irregular, breakthrough and postmenopausal bleeding. The diagnostic guidelines are aimed at identifying possible causes. However, in a considerable number of patients no underlying cause is found and the bleeding is assumed to be caused by hormonal fluctuations, for instance shortly after the menarche or premenopausal. Other causes can be: myomas, an intra-uterine device (IUD), medication, or endometrial carcinoma. Furthermore, lesions of the perineum, vulva or vagina, a pelvic inflammatory disease, Chlamydia infection, cervical carcinoma, imminent abortion or ectopic pregnancy also have to be excluded. In this practice guideline, the management guidelines are limited to the treatment of bleeding from the endometrium. In most cases bleeding caused by hormonal fluctuations is self-limiting. However, symptomatic treatment with progestogens or sub-50 oral contraceptives is possible. NSAIDs taken during the first three days of menstruation are the second-choice treatment in women with excessive bleeding. Tranexamic acid or a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD are other possibilities. Postmenopausal women with vaginal bleeding, first of all have to be examined by means of a cervical smear and transvaginal ultrasonography, to exclude an endometrial carcinoma. They can initially be reassured if the ultrasonography reveals an endometrial thickness of 4 mm or less. In the case of persistent or recurrent vaginal bleeding, they should still be referred to a gynaecologist.