Glossary

Abnormal
Varying from what is typical or usual.

Blood clots
A mass of blood that forms when blood platelets, proteins, and cells stick together.

Caesarean
The delivery of a baby through surgical incisions made through the abdominal wall and the uterine wall.

Endometrium
The layer of tissue that lines the inside of the uterus.

Hormones
Chemical substances that act like messenger molecules in the body.

Intrauterine
Inside the uterus.

Irregular
Not even or balanced. The length of time between periods is different.

Manageable
Able to be controlled or dealt with without difficulty.

Medical
Of or relating to physicians or the science or practice of medicine.

Menstrual cycle
A complex cycle controlled by hormones that cause regular bleeding (periods).

Normal
The usual, typical, or expected state or condition.

Pain
Highly unpleasant physical sensation.

Period
A period is the shedding of the uterus lining at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. It is experienced as vaginal bleeding. This cycle is part of the reproductive system and prepares the body for a possible pregnancy. 

Premalignant
A term used to describe a condition that may (or is likely to) become cancer.

Prevalence
A measure of the total number of people in a specific group who have (or had) a certain disease, condition, or risk factor. In this context, prevalence is usually the frequency or commonness of the cause in people with abnormal uterine bleeding.

Regular
Arranged in a constant pattern, especially with the same space between periods.

Structural cause
Relating to the physical anatomy of the reproductive system working incorrectly.

Symptom
Something that a person feels or experiences that may indicate that they have a disease or condition. Particularly something that is apparent to only the patient e.g. pain.

Uterus
A hollow, pear-shaped organ in the pelvis that is part of the female reproductive system. The uterus is where a baby develops and grows.