Hormonal profile comparison of women with menstrual symptoms and those without, in a population of medical students

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 102 medical students attending the 2nd M.B.,N.S course, inthe Institute of Medicine (1) at the Department of Physiology, between the period of April 1994 to May 1994. Out of 102 volunteers, 74.5 percent had premenstrual symptoms PMS (+), and 25.5 percent were symptoms free PMS(-). The mean menarcheal age of PMS(-) group was 12.8 + 0.8 yrs whereas PMS(+) was 13.1 + 1.2 yrs. Student's "t" test showed that they were not significantly different. In the PMS(+) group the commonest symptom was hritability and abdominal pain (26.4 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively). 21.9 percent presented with fullness and bloating. 13.2 percent had headaches and 13.2 percent presented with weight gain. A hormonal profile using immunometric assay kit to determine FSH, LH, PRL and Progesterone level was carried out during the follicular, peri-ovulatory and luteal phases. The levels were within the normal standard range. Mann- Whitney's test showed that there was no significant differences between the PMS(+) and PMS(-) groups. This study suggests that hormonal level differences may not be responsible for the symptoms.