Symptoms

Symptoms of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) include:

• Vaginal bleeding that occurs more often than every 21 days or farther apart than 35 days (a normal teen menstrual cycle can last up to 45 days).
• Vaginal bleeding that lasts longer than 7 days (normally lasts 4 to 6 days).
• Blood loss of more than 80 mL (2.7 fl oz) each menstrual cycle [normally about 30 mL (1 fl oz)]. If you are passing blood clots and soaking through your usual pads or tampons each hour for 2 or more hours, your bleeding is considered severe.

Most menstrual blood is lost in the first 3 days of the period. Therefore, excessive blood loss is possible without having exceptionally long periods.

The symptoms of DUB can also be signs of another, more serious condition with similar symptoms. If your abnormal vaginal bleeding is undiagnosed, see your health professional. For more information, see the topic Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding.