A Study on Menstrual Disorders in Adolescents and their Impact on Health

Abstract

Menstruation (a period) is an important stage of puberty in girls. It is one of the many physical signs that a girl is turning into a woman. Menstruation is a regular physiological phenomenon for females signifying her capability for procreation. However, menstruation is often associated with some degree of distresses and embarrassment. The prevalence of menstrual disorders has been recorded as high as 87%. Girls usually experience puberty between the ages of 8 and 13. They experience physical and psychological changes in many ways. Menstrual disorders are very common among adolescent girls. Before the onset of the menses, females experience many uncomfortable symptoms; these may prevail from few hours to few days. Sometimes these are manageable, but sometimes these symptoms can be very severe and can have an effect on the normal routine of the person. These symptoms are known as premenstrual syndrome. Generally, these symptoms subside with the beginning of menstruation, but for some they may last even after the menstrual periods are over. According to some researches, 85% of the females experience premenstrual syndrome symptoms at one time or the other. Moreover, almost 40% of the females experience the symptoms so strongly that their everyday jobs are affected by it and 10% are disabled by it. Menstrual disorders can be classified as: dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea or irregular bleeding, and menorrhagia. Dysmenorrhea is experiencing menstrual pain, and cramps. The menstrual pain can be unbearable at times. Back pain, nausea, vomiting, etc., are other associated issues related to dysmenorrhea. Amenorrhea or irregular bleeding is the condition, when female skips her menstrual cycle for more than three consecutive cycles. There are various causes of amenorrhea, such as, ovulation abnormality, eating disorders, birth defects, malnourishment, anorexia, thyroid disorder, obesity, and other medical conditions. The research paper will focus on major menstrual disorders observed in adolescents and their impact on the overall health. The research paper will further analyze major issues faced by adolescents, due to menstrual disorders, and their health seeking behavior.