A Cross-Sectional Study on Clinical Profile and Factors Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome among Adolescent Girls in Goa

Abstract

Introduction: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of physical and psychological symptoms that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Objective: To determine the proportion of adolescent girls suffering Premenstrual Syndrome using ACOG criteria, to describe the clinical presentations of PMS and to identify the factors associated with PMS among them. Method: Results: In a cross-sectional study among 228 adolescent girls, more than half (59.2%) of the girls reported to have PMS. The mean BMI of the participants was 20.1 ± 4.31 kg/m2. Irritability was reported to be the most frequent symptom in as high as 41.7% girls. Nearly two-thirds of the adolescent girls (64%) reported to have heavy flow, while the majority of the girls (91.7%) suffered from dysmenorrhea. PMS was found to be associated with age at menarche, amount of blood flow during menstruation and presence of dysmenorrhea (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that 59.2% of adolescent girls reported to have PMS. Schools should foster an environment where students feel comfortable discussing PMS and other women’s health issues.