Characteristics of menstruation-related problems for adolescents and premarital women in Korea

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to compare the patterns of menstruation-related problems between adolescents and premarital women who visited the Young Lady Clinic (YLC) at Samsung Medical Center. Study design: This study includes 646 adolescents (aged 10–20, group I) and 591 premarital young women (aged 21–30, group II) who visited the YLC with menstruation-related problems (amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), etc.). Comparisons between the two groups were made with the use of χ 2-test and Fisher's exact test. Results: For primary amenorrhea, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was more frequent in group I ( p = 0.007), and eugonadism in group II ( p = 0.0025). Chromosomal competent ovarian failure ( p = 0.003) and hyperprolactinemia ( p < 0.001) were more frequent causes of secondary amenorrhea in group II. Endometriosis without ovarian endometrioma was the more frequent laparoscopic finding for patients of group I ( p = 0.0429). Regarding AUB, dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) was more frequent for group I ( p < 0.001) and endocrinopathies ( p = 0.006) and benign lesions of genital tract ( p < 0.0001) for group II. Conclusion: The menstruation-related problems showed different features for each group. These data might give us an insight, at least in part, into the menstruation-related problems of Korean young women.