RESUMO
Headache is a common complaint in women of reproductive age, and sometimes occurs only during menstruation. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and characteristics of headaches associated with menstruation in university students. Nine-hundred and four women university students were selected through multistage random sampling. Headaches starting 2 days before menstruation and continuing till the end of the menstrual periods were defined as headaches associated with menstruation. The prevalence and severity of menstrual headaches and associated clinical manifestations were recorded. Mean age of participants was 21 +/- 3.5 years. Prevalence of menstrual headaches was 14.2 percent, 79.7 percent had moderate to severe headaches that caused disruption of daily activities in 4.8% of individuals. Associated symptoms included: irritability, nausea, pulsatile headache, photophobia, increased sensitivity to sounds and loss of appetite. A strong association was found between menstrual headache and the following factors: amount of menstrual hemorrhage, painful menstruation and its severity, PMS and the presence of menstrual headaches in sisters and mothers of the participants, [p<0.05]. Females with BMI higher than normal were more prone to menstrual headaches. The high prevalence of menstrual headaches underscores the need for effective intervention