Correlation Between Perceived Stress Scores and Menstrual Characteristics in Young Indian Women.

introductionStress is a common causative factor of menstrual irregularities, and the effect is supposed to be mediated by an alteration in normal pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion by stress. METHODOLOGY: A cohort of 150 apparently healthy young women as volunteers was selected randomly. They were asked to attempt the perceived stress scale-14 (PSS-14) questionnaire, and based upon their scores, 50 women were allocated into group A (score of ≤28) and group B (score of ≥29), by a stratified sampling method. Their menstrual characteristics, including age of menarche, cycle length, duration of menses, any history of heavy menstrual flow (staining/passage of clots), severe debilitating dysmenorrhea, irregularities, and pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) scores, were recorded. The chi-square (χ

resultsGroup B had higher PBAC scores than group A (110.24±70.00 versus 87.56±38.51; t=2.007 and p=0.047). A history of menstrual irregularity was more common in group B as compared to group A (22% versus 4%; χ

conclusionWomen suffering from higher perceived stress have higher menstrual blood flow, greater blood loss, and more chances of menstrual irregularities. Perceived stress levels are positively correlated with a history of dysmenorrhea and heavy menstrual flow. Menstrual blood loss is more in women with menstrual irregularities, longer menstrual duration, a history of dysmenorrhea, and heavy menstrual flow. Longer menstrual cycles tend to have longer menstrual duration. Dysmenorrhea is positively correlated with heavier menstrual flow.