Prevalence of Menstrual Disorders and Associated Factors in High School Girls in Sari during 2010 to 2011

Background and

Menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhea (painful period)، amenorrhea (no menstruation)، oligomenorrhea (prolonged menstruation) and irregulars menstruations which are always the painful complaint of women، especially in young women، that reduces their quality of life. In this investigation، the prevalence of menstrual disorders and its associated factors were examined in high school girls in Sari during 2010 to 2011.

In this cross-sectional، descriptive and analytic study، sample size was estimated by formula and 1140 high school girls were questioned and answered to 24 questions according to the questionnaire. Height، weight and waist and hip circumference were measured. The results were analyzed chi square، t-test، and Mann-Whitney test.

The mean age of the subjects were 15. 4 ± 2. 2 years and their body mass index (BMI) was 21. 4 ± 6. 1 kg/m2. The mean days of menstrual period were 6. 3 ± 1. 1 days. Amenorrhea was observed in 1. 2%، menorrhagia in 1. 6%، spotting in 32. 2%، polymenorrhea in 5. 5%، oligomenorrhea in 9. 9%، dysmenorrhea in 95. 5 % and at least one sign of premenstrual syndrome in 66. 8% of them. 12% of the subjects had prolonged bleeding (2% more than 8 days and 10% more than 8 days). Referring to physician was seen in 32. 4% because of the prolonged bleeding and because of oligomenorrhea in 28. 2%. Using the hormone was significantly high in girls who had polymenorrhea (15% vs. 3. 7%).

This study was different from the results of previous studies which were performed in other countries that can be due to cultural and ethnic differences.