Prevalence and Severity of Physical Symptoms Encountered During Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Young Girls

The present study was carried out on 600 unmarried healthy college going girls between the age of 18 to 23 years, with regular menstrual cycles from Jodhpur(Western Rajasthan), during the period from June 2006 to May 2007 to compare the prevalence and severity of physical symptoms experienced during menstrual cycle. The mere mention of the topic has been tabooed in the past and even to this day the cultural and social influences appear to be hurdle for advancement of knowledge on the subject. This study is a moderate attempt to asses not only prevalence and severity of various physical symptoms associated with menstruation in healthy young girls but also to know the extent of effect it has on their productivity at home or at work place. In the present study, girls were asked to provide information related to age, religion, age of menarche, menstrual history and physical symptoms associated with menstrual cycle. It was observed that 89.8% of girls had varying degree of physical problems. In some problems were severe enough to affect the quality of work at their home or work place and to warrant medical treatment. Thus, menstrual problems are not a trivial complaint. Because of its high prevalence and adverse impact, girls should be encouraged to talk about their problems during menstruation, so that effective measures can be taken to decrease the severity of their symptoms and enhance their working capability and quality of life.