DOI: https://doi.org/10.53350/pjmhs2115112897 ORIGINAL ARTICLE P J M H S Vol. 15, No.11, NOV 2021 2897 Association of Menstrual Problems and Psycological Stress in Young Medical Students AYESHA BATOOL 1 , SHOAIB WAQAS 2 , ZAINAB HASSAN 3 , MAIRA PERVEZ 4 , MUHAMMAD TARIQ 5 1 Lecturer, Rashid Latif Medical Collge, Lahore 2 Associate Professor, Lahore College of Physical Therapy, LMDC, Lahore 3 Senior Lecturer, Riphah International University, Lahore 4 Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore 5 Assistant Professor, Lahore College of Physical Therapy, LMDC, Lahore Correspondence to Dr. Shoaib Waqas, Email: shoaib.waqas@lmdc.edu.pk ABSTRACT Aim: To see if there was a link between menstruation issues and psychological stress among young medical students. Methods: A non-probability convenient sampling method was used to conduct an observational (cross-sectional) study on a sample of 180 university-bound students. Students were assessed for menstrual regularity associating with psychological stress by using Perceived Stress Scale in different universities of Lahore. Results: The study included approximately 92% of females with a regular menstrual cycle and 8% of females with an irregular menstrual cycle.While among irregular menstrual cycles, 5 had high levels of stress, 7 had moderate levels of stress, and 3 had mild levels of stress. The normal menstrual cycle group had 40 females with high levels of stress, 121 females with moderate levels of stress, and four females with low levels of stress. Conclusion: Although fewer students suffered from menstruation difficulties, the majority of them, including those who did not, experienced psychological stress. Keywords: Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrheal, abnormal menstrual cycle, stress INTRODUCTION Menstruation is a natural process that involves the flow of blood from the uterus via the vaginal canal at more or less regular monthly intervals during a woman's reproductive life 1 . Menstrual issues include dysmenorrhea, premenstrual symptoms, menorrhagia, polymenorrhea, abnormal vaginal bleeding, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and irregular menstruation 2 . Menstruation in teens occurs between the ages of 11 and 14, with a 7-day period and a cycle lasting 21 to 45 days, with an average blood loss of 20-80ml 3 . Adolescent and young adult females frequently experience menstrual issues 4,5 . Menstruation-related health issues affect a high percentage of the female population of reproductive age, according to studies. Previously, abnormal uterine bleeding was referred to as oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia, irregular menstruation, polymenorrhea, amenorrhea, and abnormal veginal bleeding. And now a day’s these terms are classified as hyperplasia, polyps, malignancy,adenomyosis, coagulopathy, lieomyoma, endometrial and also ovulatory dysfunctions 6,7 . Prolonged menstrual bleeding, polycystic ovarian disease, severe bleeding throughout the menstrual cycle and irregularity are all present in 10.8%, 3.73%, 23.36% and 7.47% of women, respectively. Dysmenorrheal reported in medical students is 31.67% of prevalence and some are frequently absents in their colleges reported 8.68% of prevalence. This study also told that premenstrual symptoms reported second most disorder that 60.50% of prevalence. On other hand social withdrawal reported about 67.08% 8 . Some women was screened by a physician and he reported that higher rate of abnormal uterine bleeding 9 and declared that 15% of the women found with menorrhagia where as 15% of the women diagnosed with profuse bleeding 10 . Menstrual cycle for most of the women ranges from 21 to 35 days, but according to a study more than 14% of the girls or women suffering with abnormal menstrual cycle including excessive bleeding 11 . These issues can have a negative impact on teenagers' quality of life and, as a result, are commonly a source of concern for them and their families. Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common menstruation problems in adolescents and it can lead to bed-bound women 12 . In the literature, there are a few studies on the prevalence of ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Received on 22-05-2021 Accepted on 28-10-2021 menstruation issues and their relationship to psychological stress. However, the majority of previous studies used a small sample size or did not use a validated stress questionnaire. As a result, the current research aims to close this gap. Using a validated perceived stress scale questionnaire, the goal of this study is to see if there is a link between psychological stress and menstruation issues (PSS10) 13 . The findings of the study will be useful in further investigating this link and developing a strategy for promoting psychological and reproductive health. MATERIAL AND METHODS A non-probability convenient sampling method was used to conduct an observational cross-sectional study on a sample of 180 university-bound students from three different colleges after permission from IRB. PSS for stress and other questionnaires were created to collect the following data. Menstrual cycle duration, Menstrual bleeding duration (days), Use of medicine regulating menstruation and severity of dysmenorrheal were examined. Mean, standard deviation and histogram were used to show the quantitative variables. Some of the question was also used for stress. Young female medical students between age 20- 26 years were included in this study. Prior consent was taken before assimilation of study from concernced forams. Married,Pregnant,beast feeding females, females with systemic illness were excluded from the study. RESULTS 40 5 121 7 4 3 Regular cycle Irregular cycle Perceived stress scale High level stress Moderate level Stress Low level Stress