RATE OF HOSPITALIZATION FOR GYNECOLOGIC DISORDERS AMONG REPRODUCTIVE-AGE WOMEN IN THE UNITED-STATES

Objective: To analyze reproductive-tract disorders that resulted in ho spitalization of reproductive-age women in the United States. Methods: Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey for 1988, 1989, and 1990 were used to study women 15-44 years old who had any gynecologic diagnoses noted in their discharge summaries. Results: Based on averag e annual discharge rates per 10,000 women, the five most frequent diag nostic groups were pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (average annual r ate 49.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 43.6-55.0), benign cysts of the ovary (average annual rate 32.7, 95% CI 28.8-36.6), endometriosis (av erage annual rate 32.4, 95% CI 28.5-36.3), menstrual disorders (averag e annual rate 31.4, 95% CI 27.6-35.2), and uterine leiomyomas (average annual rate 30.4, 95% CI 26.7-34.1). The highest rates for PID were a mong women 25-39 years old and for women of races other than white. Hi ghest rates for uterine leiomyomas were among women 40-44 years old an d for women of races other than white. Highest rates for endometriosis were among women 40-44 years old and white women. Racial differences existed among all ages in the uterine leiomyoma and endometriosis grou ps. Average annual rates of benign cysts and menstrual disorders incre ased with age, but there were no statistically significant differences according to race in these two diagnostic groups. Conclusion: Our fin dings confirmed the importance of PID as a common cause of hospitaliza tion among reproductive-age women and identified additional gynecologi c conditions as causes for hospitalization as well. We found significa nt age and racial differences not only among women with discharge diag noses of PID but also among those with discharge diagnoses of uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis.