Open Access: View PDF

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijog.2321.1636.5217.17

Abstract

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the menstrual abnormalities experienced by adolescents to know their awareness and health seeking behavior regarding the same. Methods: All the adolescents attending or accompanying the patients in the OPD of the institute were enrolled after an informed written consent. Data was collected on predesigned questionnaire to assess their level of awareness on menstrual abnormalities. Results: A total of 200 adolescents were included in the study. There was a complete lack of knowledge about menstrual problems in 160(80%) respondents. Knowledge of irregular cycle, prolonged and short cycle was more in participants who were of between 1519 year of age. There was a statistically significant relationship between the age and knowledge of irregular, prolonged and short cycle (p=.001). There was statistically significant association found between age and dysmenorrheal (p=0.004). Conclusion: The results reveal that the majority of respondents were unaware of menstrual problems and suffered from reproductive health morbidities, which include dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia and irregular menstruation. Reproductive information programs that currently refer to menstruation in explanations of reproductive functions could easily incorporate more information about menstrual disorders and help break factors that prevent women from obtaining timely and appropriate care for menstrual dysfunction.

Keywords: Menstrual Abnormalities; Adolescents; Awareness. 

Corresponding Author : Dr. Kalika Karle, Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PDVVPF’s Medical College and Hospital, Opposite Government Milk Dairy, Post – MIDC, Vadgaon Gupta, Ahmednagar414111, Maharashtra, India.