Menstrual Pattern and Common Menstrual Abnormalities in the High School Girls in Underdeveloped District (Rewa) of Madhya Pradesh: a Cross Sectional Study in School Girls at Central India

Menstrual disorders may affect the life of adolescents and young adult women, and may sometimes cause serious problems. The patterns of menstrual cycles were analysed for association with age of menarche, prevalence of menstrual irregularity, dysmenorrhoea, prolonged menstrual bleeding, and effect of menstrual disorders, especially dysmenorrhoea, on social activities and school attendance among the female students.

Methods: A total of 149 students were randomly selected and asked to complete the anonymous questionnaire of 27 items.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 15.66 ± 0.96 years ranging from 14 to 17 years; mean menarche age was 12.81 ± 1.09 years with a range of 9-16 years. The duration between two periods and the menstrual flow were 27.7 ± 2.5 days and 5.8 ± 1.4 days, respectively. The prevalence of scanty bleeding, menorrhagia\hypermenorrhoea, oligomenorrhoea, metrorrhagia, and dysmenorrhoea were 26.10%, 12.08%, 10.06%, 5.36% and 52.34%, respectively. Approximately 3.81% of dysmenorrhoeic subjects had severe dysmenorrhoea; dysmenorrhoea affected school concentration in 25.49%, sports participation in 39.59%, social withdrawal in 31.54% and school absenteeism in 20.80%. Most common symptoms of dysmenorrhoea was abdominal cramps 81.81%, others are 38.96% backache, 24.67%, headache, 33.76% fatigue, 7.79% diarrhea, 6.49% vomiting and 31.16% abdominal bloating were reported.

Conclusion: The prevalence of menstrual abnormality and dysmenorrhoea was high, and most adolescents have inappropriate and insufficient information about menstrual problems. Hence, an education programme is needed at the end of primary school about menarche and menstruation.