A five-year international review process concerning terminologies, definitions, and related issues around abnormal uterine bleeding

Over the past decade there has been an increasing realization about the extent of confusion associated with the many terminologies used to describe abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). This led to the organization of an international workshop of 35 experts from 15 countries in Washington, D.C., USA, in 2005, which addressed the confusions and controversies around AUB. The workshop comprehensively addressed anomalies in the terminologies, definitions, and causes of AUB. It also began to address broader issues including investigations, quality of life, the need for structured symptom questionnaires, cultural aspects, and future research needs. This workshop led to a series of recommendations and publications and to the establishment of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Menstrual Disorders Working Group. Since then, a series of international presentations and small group workshops has resulted in a wide awareness of the program and a comprehensive series of recommendations and publications. A particularly influential large-scale interactive workshop with 600 attendees was held during the 2009 FIGO World Congress, which demonstrated the broad acceptability of the current recommendations. This article describes the process leading to the development of international recommendations on terminologies, definitions, and classification of causes of AUB and the establishment of the FIGO Menstrual Disorders Working Group.