title: The management of menstrual suppression and uterine bleeding: a survey of current practices in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current guidelines recommend the use of combined hormonal contraceptive pills for menstrual suppression in pediatric blood and marrow transplant (BMT) recipients but recent research reveals that provider practice varies. This study was designed to describe the current practice for managing menstrual issues, that is, menstrual suppression and uterine bleeding, in pediatric BMT patients and to better understand health care providers' practices in the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional survey consisting of 53 questions was distributed via email to principal investigators in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (PBMTC). Responses were collected using www.surveymonkey.com.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Menstrual suppression and uterine bleeding in pediatric BMT patients are primarily managed by pediatric oncologists (97%). The most frequently reported hormonal method used for induction of therapeutic amenorrhea was GnRHa (41%). The top three reasons for choosing a method were greater likelihood of amenorrhea, concerns about side effects, and possible gonadal protection. Continuous combined hormonal contraceptive pills were the most commonly used method for the management of clinically significant uterine bleeding regardless of primary method used for menstrual suppression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the 2002 PBMTC guidelines, wide variation in menstrual suppression management practices still exists. Our data show that use of GnRHa is more common than previously reported. Additional research is needed to develop evidence-based practice guidelines in pediatric BMT patients.
authors.affiliation: St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Enitan A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Adegite
authors.forename: Rakesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marshal
authors.forename: Gina S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sucato
mesh_terms: D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002648:Child; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone