A 33 year old female patient comes with complaints of menorrhagia for the past 3 months. The duration and regularity of her menstrual cycles are normal. Non – hormonal management has been tried without success. What is the most appropriate next step?

Correct Answer: B. Hormonal therapy

In a woman with menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding) of 3 months' duration with normal cycle duration and regularity, the stepwise management algorithm mandates hormonal therapy as the next step after failed non-hormonal interventions. The key discriminator is that she has normal cycle regularity and duration—this indicates dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) or structural abnormality without ovulatory dysfunction, not anovulation. Non-hormonal options (NSAIDs, tranexamic acid) have already failed. Per Indian OBG guidelines and standard management protocols, hormonal therapy (combined oral contraceptives, progestin-only pills, or levonorgestrel-releasing IUD) is the first-line pharmacological intervention before considering invasive procedures. Hormonal agents reduce menstrual blood loss by 40–50% through endometrial suppression and stabilization of the endometrial microvasculature. Invasive procedures like endometrial ablation and hysterectomy are reserved for women who have completed childbearing and have failed both medical and hormonal management. At age 33 with no mention of completed family planning, fertility preservation is a priority, making hormonal therapy the most appropriate next step.

Why the other options are wrong

A. Uterine artery embolization — This is wrong because uterine artery embolization (UAE) is an invasive radiological intervention reserved for women with fibroids causing menorrhagia or those who refuse/fail surgical options and wish to preserve the uterus. It is not a first-line treatment for DUB with normal cycles and is typically offered only after hormonal and medical management have failed. The procedure carries risks of ovarian dysfunction and is not indicated at this stage. C. Endometrial ablation — This is wrong because endometrial ablation is a destructive procedure indicated only in women who have completed childbearing and have failed medical/hormonal therapy. It causes permanent endometrial damage and is contraindicated in women of reproductive age who may desire future pregnancies. At 33 years with no mention of completed family planning, this is premature and inappropriate. D. Hysterectomy — This is wrong because hysterectomy is the definitive surgical treatment reserved as a last resort after all conservative and minimally invasive options have failed. It is irreversible, eliminates fertility, and carries significant morbidity. In a 33-year-old woman with no mention of completed family planning, hysterectomy is not justified when hormonal therapy—a reversible, effective, and fertility-preserving option—has not yet been attempted.

High-Yield Facts

Mnemonics

HARM (Hormonal management Algorithm for Menorrhagia) Hormonal therapy first (after failed non-hormonal) → Ablation (if completed family) → Radiological intervention (UAE for fibroids) → Mysterectomy (last resort). Use this to remember the stepwise escalation in menorrhagia management. Memory Hook: 'Normal Cycle = Hormones First' If menstrual cycle duration and regularity are normal, the bleeding is likely structural or endometrial (not ovulatory dysfunction). Start hormonal therapy before invasive procedures. This distinguishes DUB from anovulatory bleeding.

NBE Trap

NBE may pair menorrhagia with invasive procedures (ablation, hysterectomy) to trap students who confuse severity of bleeding with need for surgery. The key is recognizing that normal cycle regularity indicates a different pathophysiology than anovulation, and hormonal therapy is still first-line pharmacological management regardless of bleeding severity.

Clinical Pearl

In Indian clinical practice, a 33-year-old woman with menorrhagia and normal cycle regularity is typically started on combined oral contraceptives or a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD (Mirena) as first-line hormonal therapy. If she desires fertility preservation, progestin-only pills or cyclic progestins are alternatives. This approach avoids unnecessary hysterectomy, which remains overutilized in some Indian centers for benign gynecological conditions.

_Reference: DC Dutta's Textbook of Gynaecology, Ch. 12 (Abnormal Uterine Bleeding); OP Ghai's Essential Obstetrics, Ch. 8_