Menstrual Cycle Patterns of College Students in GorganNortheast of Iran: Identify Its Association with Sociodemographic Factors

Purpose: The menstrual cycle is used as a sign of women’s health. Objective of study is determining the current menstrual patterns of students in Gorgan –Northeast of Iran, and evaluation of affecting factors on the cycle. Material and Methods: The study participants included 106 college student, females aged 18-30 that filled a questionnaire to detect the menstrual pattern, affecting factors on menstrual cycle. Main outcomes of variables compared using ANOVA. Logistic regression was used to model factors for menstrual regularity. Results: The mean ± SD age, menstruation lengths, age at menarche in student girls were 20.58±2.13, 28.02±1.88 and 13.53±1.30, respectively. 59.2% of girls had age 20-25 and 39.8% of these students had normal cycle. Also of 53.4 % of students with normal cycle, 31.8% of students had body mass index 20-24.99. Age at menarche of 56.8% of all participants was 13-14 years. Comparison of regression coefficients between factors and reported menstrual patterns shows similar results for students of all categories of menstrual cycle. Conclusion: This study provides a look at negative correlation of menstrual cycle's length with factors in college students of Gorgan – Northeast of Iran and points to importance of racial differences.