A profile of menstrual disorders in a private set up.

ABSTRACT

Menstruation and its disorders are still considered unholy and impure and are not yet recognised as significant reproductive health morbidity. Therefore a prospective study was carried out at a private clinic for a period of three months where total number of patients coming with current or past menstrual problems are 525. This number did not include pregnant women or those on any hormonal medications or having dysfunctional uterine bleeding. This study aimed to find out the incidence of Menstrual Morbidity and their mode of presentation. It has also tried to find out these women's age, parity, age of menarche and number, following discriminating traditional rituals during their 1st and regular menses, their family planning status and the districts from where they came to Kathmandu for their treatment. In this study, menstrual morbidity was found to be 43.75%. Approximately 60% of women having menstrual complaints had absolutely normal menstrual cycle; whereas 13% of them had irregular, 17% of them had prolonged and 6% had short menstrual cycle. A significant number (46%) of women although suffering from menstrual problems presented with other symptoms like vaginal discharge, pain lower abdomen, subfertility, urinary problems, abdominal lumps and for cuT check-ups. 3% of the women who presented with vague, non-specific complaints asking for a general check up had one or the other menstrual problem. Although approximately 69% of these women were from the age group of 20-39 years, 4% of them were adolescents and 27% above 40 years. It was observed that although approximately 78% of these women were primi- and multiparous ladies, 22% were unmarried and nulliparous suffering from various menstrual morbidities. More than 55% of these women had their menarche at the age of 12-14 years. It was not surprising to note that more than 90% of women had to follow the traditional unhealthy and unsociable rituals during their first menstruation. More than 75% of them had to follow the discriminating traditional rituals which consider a menstruating woman untouchable for 5 days of every month throughout their active reproductive lives. 20% of these women were using non-hormonal contraceptive methods, out of which more than 50% had undergone permanent sterilisation. It was a matter of pride to note that this clinic was providing the health care services to the adolescents and women of 13 zones and more than 52 districts of the country.