Study guide for medical terminology & coding · Bleeding between periods? Read the patient guide
Metrorrhagia.com

Lesson 1

Metrorrhagia: definition

Bleeding from the uterus at irregular times, especially between expected periods.

By the Metrorrhagia.com editorial teamUpdated Medical review pending
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Educational content for students. Not medical or coding advice. Having symptoms? See the patient guide.

On this page
  1. Textbook definition
  2. Plain-English definition
  3. Synonyms and related entry terms
  4. Using it in a sentence
  5. Sources
metr/oroot · combining formuterus
+
-rrhagiasuffixbursting forth; excessive flow of blood
=
metrorrhagiatermbleeding from the uterus, outside the expected period

Textbook definition

Metrorrhagia is uterine bleeding at irregular intervals, especially bleeding that occurs between expected menstrual periods. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's MeSH vocabulary defines it as "abnormal uterine bleeding that is not related to menstruation, usually in females without regular menstrual cycle," and notes that "the irregular and unpredictable bleeding usually comes from a dysfunctional endometrium" [MeSH].

Labeled schematic front view of the uterus showing the fundus, body, endometrium (lining), myometrium (muscle wall), uterine cavity, cervix, fallopian tubes, ovaries and upper vagina.
Metr/o means uterus: metrorrhagia is bleeding from the uterus at irregular times, between expected periods. Schematic, not to scale.

Plain-English definition

Bleeding or spotting from the uterus at times when you wouldn't expect a period. That's why the everyday phrase is bleeding between periods.

Synonyms and related entry terms

MeSH lists these entry terms under Metrorrhagia: bleeding between periods, breakthrough bleeding, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, intermenstrual bleeding, and spotting [MeSH]. In practice they aren't perfect synonyms. "Breakthrough bleeding" usually refers to bleeding on hormonal contraception [ACOG], and "dysfunctional uterine bleeding" is a term FIGO recommends abandoning [FIGO 2018].

ItemValue
PronunciationMEE-troh-RAY-jee-uh (also MET-roh-RAY-jee-uh)
Part of speechNoun
Adjectivemetrorrhagic
Body systemFemale reproductive system
ICD-10-CMN92.1 (inclusion term) [ICD-10-CM]
MeSHD008796 [MeSH]
Modern (FIGO) equivalentIntermenstrual bleeding (IMB) or irregular bleeding, under the umbrella of abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) [FIGO]
Cycle wheel of an example 28-day menstrual cycle: period on days 1 to 5, follicular phase, ovulation around mid-cycle and luteal phase, with a marker on day 19 showing bleeding between periods.
An example cycle. Bleeding outside the expected period is intermenstrual bleeding, the modern term for metrorrhagia. FIGO's normal frequency range is 24 to 38 days.

Using it in a sentence

"Patient reports metrorrhagia for three cycles: light bleeding on days 12–15 in addition to normal menses."

In current clinical notes you'll increasingly see the FIGO wording instead: "intermenstrual bleeding" or "AUB with irregular bleeding" [FIGO]. See modern terminology.

Exam tip

Metrorrhagia is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It describes when bleeding happens, not why. The cause is classified separately, for example with PALM-COEIN [StatPearls].

Sources

  1. Metrorrhagia (MeSH Descriptor D008796) U.S. National Library of Medicine
  2. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (FAQ095) American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, reviewed Aug 2025
  3. The two FIGO systems for normal and abnormal uterine bleeding symptoms and classification of causes of AUB in the reproductive years: 2018 revisions Munro MG et al., Int J Gynecol Obstet 2018
  4. ICD-10-CM N92 Excessive, frequent and irregular menstruation (N92.0–N92.6) ICD10Data.com, FY2027 code set
  5. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (NBK532913)

We link to primary medical sources so you can check our work. See the editorial policy and the full reference list.