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Background Menstrual cycle irregularities and anovulation have been found to occur with increased frequency in women who deviate considerably from normal weight. Ovulation abnormalities may also be caused by fluctuations in weight, such as being overweight, obese, or underweight, which are hypothesized to disrupt the energy balance. Objectives The aim of this study was to find out the association between menstrual patterns and body mass index (BMI) among students of selected health science university. Materials and Methods A descriptive research study was conducted among 222 university students at a selected health science university in Mangalore. The samples were selected by using simple random sampling techniques. A demographic proforma, self-reported menstrual pattern questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements like height and weight were measured. BMI was calculated by using the standardized formula, BMI= (weight [kg]/height [m 2 ]) by the World Health Organization for the Asian population based on the revised consensus guidelines for India. Students who are aged between 17 and 25 years, unmarried female students who are studying under Yenepoya (deemed to be university), attained menarche, and who are willing to participate in the study were included in the study. Results From this study, it can be considered that the mean age of menarche was 12.49 ± 0.51years. Most 68.5% students reported dysmenorrhea. It is the most common menstrual disorder among our study subjects. Of the total subjects, 38.3% cases had oligomenorrhea, which was the next most common menstrual disorder. The majority of the subjects has a normal BMI, with a mean of 21.02 kg/m 2. There is a significant association between dysmenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, and polymenorrhagia with BMI status of university students at 0.05 level significance. Conclusion Lifestyle modification and nutritional counselling for female students could alleviate menstrual problems. It will not only improve the girls' current health, sense of well-being, and overall quality of life but may also lower her risks for future disease and ill health after proper advice about diet and exercise. Menstrual irregularities are mostly neglected by the society due to unawareness regarding the irregular menstrual pattern and their problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Primary Dysmenorrhoea (PD) is a common disorder in both young and adult females which is characterised by cramps that start immediately before or at the beginning of menstruation in the lower abdomen and are spasmodic and painful in nature, without any pelvic pathology. PD has a serious detrimental effect on quality of life and productivity in terms of health. Need of the Study: To the best of author's knowledge, there is no specific scale meant to extensively assess the overall physical, social, psychological and nutritional status of females with PD and evaluate the quality of life, therefore, a comprehensive tool is required to resolve these issues and capture a comprehensive overview of the typical distress encountered during menstruation. Aim: To develop the items and domains, estimate its content and concurrent validity as well as assess intra-rater and testretest reliability of the scale, which comprehensively assesses physical, social, psychological and nutritional status of females with PD and determine their quality of life. Materials and Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional study, that will be conducted at General Outpatient Department (OPD), Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar Deemed to be University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India from April 2023 to March 2024. It consists of three phases. First phase comprises of the scale development procedure which includes generation of domains and items. Second phase is to validate the scale. This phase includes content validation through Delphi method as well as evaluation of criterion (concurrent) validity. Third phase consists of assessing intra-rater and testretest reliability of the scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethnobiological study addresses the complicated relationship between the Dard ethnic group and their natural environment in the Gurez region of the Kashmir Valley. The study documents their traditional knowledge of the use of plant species for medicinal and culinary purposes. A total of 87 plant species from 41 different families were cataloged, with the Asteraceae family (15 species) and the Lamiaceae family (12 species) being the most commonly used. These plants were found to be used to treat 20 different ailments, with menstrual cramps being the most common (12 species). The fidelity values for these plants ranged from 11.10 to 71.42, demonstrating their importance in traditional medicine. In addition, 17 plant species were found to be useful for gastronomic purposes, with Juglans regia being the most valuable (use value of 0.73). The study also evaluated the conservation status of these plants and found that seven of them are considered critically endangered, ten endangered, and four endangered according to the IUCN classification. This study offers insights into the Dard people's deep connection to their natural environment and has significant implications for policy formulation, cultural conservation, and sustainable use of endemic species, as well as potential applications in pharmaceutical research for therapeutic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The investigator selected 156 samples through non-probability convenient sampling technique . The tool has three parts Section- A consists of Semi structured interview schedule to assess the demographic variables. Section- B was check list to assess Pre Menstrual Syndrome among adolescent girls. Section –C included Rating scale to assess the practice during menstruation among adolescent girls. The results of present study reveals that majority 98(73%) of adolescent girls experience irritability, headache 68(51%), anxiety41(30%), tension 83(62%), depression 51(38%), anger 85(63%), breast tenderness/Pain 49(36%), Impaired work activities 8(51%), and only 35(26%) adolescent girls have confusion as Pre Menstrual Symptoms before their menstruation . 156(100%) of them were having adequate practices during menstruation. There was no significant association found between level of practice during menstruation with their selected demographic variables such as age, and age at menarche, duration of menstruation, menstrual cycle, type of menstrual flow, experience of Pre Menstrual Syndrome, Dysmenorrhoea during menstruation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescence is a transient and dynamic period between childhood and adulthood, characterised by several changes in the body and the child's mind. The World Health Organization defines adolescents as young people aged 10-19 years, but changes may begin before and continue after this age group. Adolescents constitute over 21.4% of population in India. Adolescence is a period of enormous physical and psychological change for young girls. Hormonal events play a key role in this transition. One of the major physiological changes that take place in adolescent girls is the onset of menarche, which is often associated with problems of irregular menstruation, excessive bleeding and dysmenorrhea. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the different gynaecological problems in adolescent girls attending outpatient department. To evaluate the prevalence of severe anaemia requiring indoor admission in adolescent girls with heavy menstrual bleeding. Methods: The present study was a prospective and analytic study conducted in the Dept of Gynae and Obstetrics, I.P.G.M.E.R & SSKM hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. All adolescent girls with puberty menorrhagia who required indoor admission for management of moderate-to-severe anaemia in the study period were included in the study. 100 patients were included in this study. Results: Our study showed that, most of the patients had 6 Months- 1year Menorrhagia [15 (15.0%)] and 1 Year Menorrhagia but this was not statistically significant (p.84148).(Z=0.2008) and we also found that, more number of patients had Normal HPLC [86 (86.0%)] which was statistically significant (p< .00001).(Z=10.1823). Conclusions: It was concluded that majority number of patients had PCOS which was statistically significant. Most of the patients had Blood Transfusion it was statistically significant. Adolescent health education and group discussion is needed to create awareness regarding adolescent gynecological problems; it should be conducted regularly in schools and colleges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women face many sexist constraints globally, increasing the likelihood of psychological stress and related disorders. The present study explores general health constraints among urban Indian women with respect to stress. A cross-sectional study adhering to "strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology" (STROBE) guidelines was conducted in urban colonies in Delhi. A wide array of women above 18 years of age was recruited, which included students, working professional as well as housewives. General health issues and health behaviors among women were assessed through a questionnaire and stress was evaluated through Cohen's perceived stress scale (PSS)-10. Overall 532 women were contacted, among which 306 women (mean age = 28.8 ± 7.52) years participated. There was significant difference in mean PSS-10 scores, mean±standard error = −3.3 ± 0.6 and −3.1 ± 0.6; p <.0001 for irregular periods and dysmenorrhea, respectively. Likewise, there was significant difference (Mean± SE = −8.9 ± 0.7; p <.0001) in stress scores among women with chronic respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal pain symptoms. Changes in eating behavior during stress; prolong sitting/standing; and lack of exercise were categorized as 'negative health behaviors.' One-way ANOVA showed significant differences in PSS-10 scores (Mean ±SE = −11.3 ± 0.7; p <.0001) among participants exhibiting all "negative health behaviors." General health issues, not necessarily diagnosed medical condition can be psychological stressors among urban Indian women. Poor health behaviors adapted by urban Indian women like prolong sitting/standing, changes in eating habits during stress, and lack of exercise are associated with increased perception of stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition with painful menstrual cramps of uterine origin. Primary Dysmenorrhea is widely prevalent, more than 70% of teenagers and 30-50% of menstruating women suffer from varying degree of discomfort. The primary objectives of the study were to assess the effect of selected stretching exercises on pain level of primary dysmenorrhea. Quasi experimental method was used and data was collected from 40 students who have suffered from Primary Dysmenorrhea by purposive sampling technique was used. Data was collected with the help of VAS (Visual Analogue Scale). The result showed pain was significantly reduced after exercise on day 1, day2, day3. i.e. Day 1 shows 43.78% reduction, day 2 shows 53.92% reduction and day 3 shows 80.14% reduction of pain. Significant difference of pain score on day 1 according to age before exercise among college student as P<0.01 i.e. as age increases pain decreases significantly. Conclusion-Selective stretching exercises were found to be effective in the level of dysmenorrhea among college students. It is also proven that pain level is high on first day of menstruation than second and third. Further studies can be conducted to see effects of pain on further aspects of life like psychological effects. Effectiveness of interventions can be check for the association with symptoms to have a broader picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context  Accessory cavitated uterine mass (ACUM) is an uncommon and under-recognized entity with distinct imaging characteristics and causing significant patient distress. Differentiating it from its other clinical and radiological differentials is therefore extremely important and prevents delay in surgical management which is the treatment of choice. Aims  The aim of the study is to describe the MRI appearance of the surgically and pathologically proven ACUM cases from our institution in the last 2 years. Settings and Design  This is a retrospective study in a tertiary care hospital in South India. Methods and Material  We reviewed the clinical presentations and imaging findings of seven surgically proven cases of ACUM qualifying the proposed diagnostic criteria. Results  All patients presented with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and prolonged post-menstrual pain. MRI in all seven cases showed an intramural, noncommunicating, and cavitating lesion near the uterine cornua with internal contents similar to that of endometrioma. Although the cavity was lined by endometrium in all the cases (proven in pathology), it was well appreciable on MRI in only five cases. The rest of the uterine myometrium and main endometrial cavity were normal with no features of adenomyosis. Conclusion  MRI is a reliable diagnostic tool for accurate diagnosis of ACUM, and more importantly, in distinguishing it from other causes of chronic pelvic pain like adenomyosis and endometriosis and other imaging differentials like adenomyoma, noncommunicating uterine horn, and degenerating leiomyoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysmenorrhea, defined as painful cramps that occur with menstruation that prevents a woman from performing normal activities. Incidence of Primary dysmenorrhea is very high among the females of reproductive age group. It is responsible for the school, college and work absenteeism because of pain and discomfort. Objective: The aim of the study was to find out the effectiveness of Pilates and self-stretching on pain and quality of life in primary dysmenorrhea. Methodology: In this study 38 female subjects meeting inclusion criteria were selected. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Group - A was treated with Pilates and Group - B was treated with Self-stretching. Both interventions were given for 30 minutes for 3 days per week for 4 weeks. To assess pain intensity Visual Analogue Scale was used and to assess quality of life Menstrual Distress Questionnaire was used. Both the outcome measures were assessed before and after treatment on the day of maximum pain intensity of menstrual cycle. Result: Parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Within group analysis showed statistically significant reduction in pain and improvement in quality of life in both the groups (p≤ 0.005). Between groups analysis showed statistically significant reduction in pain (p≤0.005) in group A (Pilates) and no significant changes were found in quality of life. Conclusion: Pilates and Self-stretching both interventions are effective in relieving pain and improving quality of life in primary dysmenorrhea. Pilates was found superior to Self-stretching in relieving pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent girls may face many health problems during this phase of life which can be attributed to their faulty lifestyle viz obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), menstrual irregularities, poor scholastic performance, reproductive tract infections or stress. Objective: To ascertain the opinion and experiences of young female medical graduates regarding etiology, prevention and management of puberty related health problems in adolescent girls. Study group: A total sample size of 72 female medical graduates of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh in India was taken. Methods: They were interviewed after taking their informed consent. Results: We found that improper diet and hormonal imbalance was linked to the onset of many problems such as anemia, irregular periods, pain, cramps during periods, acne, hair fall. They also felt that the proper diet and exercise could relieve these problems. Meditation was told to help in alleviating stress. Acne was told to recover with increase in the water intake, proper diet and yoga. Hot water bottle use, rest and yoga could provide some relief in dysmenorrhea. The prevalence of these problems was found to be more in the respondents themselves and they got much better relief with these nonmedicinal measures. Conclusion: Nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalance were two main factors leading to a majority of puberty related health problems. Young female medical graduates themselves had many health issues which were resolved by following proper lifestyle measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health of adolescent girls demands greater attention. The 'double burden' of undernutrition and overnutrition as well as menstrual irregularities seem to be on the rise among young Indian girls. The present study was undertaken to assess the menstrual pattern and weight status of the college girls in Chennai. The study included 560 college girls (aged 17-22), selected by stratified random sampling. A self-formulated questionnaire was used to elicit information. Height and weight were taken as per standard procedure. The collected data was statistically analysed using frequency distribution and Chi-square test. Results indicated 20%, 18.9% and 2.5% to be underweight, overweight and obese respectively. 10.9% complained of menstrual irregularity. A significant association between BMI and menstrual irregularity was observed. Since combined occurrence of higher BMI and menstrual irregularity can affect the reproductive health or cause adverse complications later in life, early identification and right interventions at adolescent stage are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reproductive health of women is of special concern, especially during their reproductive years where the reproductive morbidity is very high, especially in countries like India. Aims: This study was carried out to find the reproductive health status of rural married women and identify those suffering from reproductive morbidity to provide appropriate guidance and treatment. Methodology: This community-based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried among rural married women above 18 years of age in the field practice areas of a medical college. By simple random sampling method, the required sample size of 650 was identified. Data collected by female investigators using a pretested structured questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: Most of the study participants were in the age group of 21–40 years. About 32% of married women delivered by cesarean section and exclusive breastfeeding was followed by 88.9% of the mothers. Around 78% of the participants used contraceptive methods and the major reason given was for economic reasons (48%). About 67% of study participants suffered from one or more gynecological problems such as menorrhagia, lower abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, and abnormal vaginal discharge. UTI (14%) and RTI (11.6%) were the most commonly diagnosed gynecological morbidity. Pallor was present in 45.5% of the study participants and 6.9% had clinical goiter. Conclusion: High prevalence of gynecological morbidity in this study shows that there is a dire need to plan and implement health education and awareness creation programs to complement the existing programs targeting women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the backbone of India and the most important sector among all. The role of Agriculture is significant in the overall Socio-economic development of India. It accounts for 18% of India's GDP and 50% of Indian population is depending on Agriculture for employment. Agriculture not only provides food and fabrics, it also helps in the development of major industries by providing raw materials and enhances the healthy life by contributing natural medicines. Health is a prime factor of a Country's development. Development of Health and development of Economics are interlinked. The Country's Economic performance is mainly depending on Health status of the people in the Country. Wealthier Countries have Healthier population. WHO (World Health Organization) has estimated that 80 percent of the people Worldwide are depending on medicines from plants. As per research data, it is found that three-quarters of the World population is relying on Agriculture for their well-being. Plants and plant extracts serve the nation by fulfilling human health care needs. Especially Women are mostly relying on herbal products for their day to day requirements. Moreover economically weak, Poor and marginalized people, who cannot access or afford to Modern medicines, depends on Traditional medicines for their Health care needs1. This study elaborates some of the women's problems and remedies through medicinal plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menstrual disorders are common among women in reproductive age group and affect their normal functioning and social life. Due to cultural reasons, menstrual problems often get unreported. In India, the literature on the effect of menstrual disorders on the quality of life (QOL) of women is limited. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea among women in an urban field practice area and to compare their QOL with women without menstrual disorders. Methods: This is a community-based cross-sectional study among women who have attained menarche and not yet attained menopause in an urban field practice area of a tertiary care teaching institute in Puducherry. Households were selected by systematic random sampling, and a door-to-door survey was done using an Android-based mobile phone app Epi Info. A pretested questionnaire was used for collection of sociodemographic details. QOL was measured using World Health Organization BREF scale. Results: A total of 119 women were interviewed, and their mean (standard deviation) age was 33 (10) years. The majority was homemakers (63%), belonging to lower socioeconomic status (60%) and one-fifth had no formal education. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 45% [95% confidence interval (CI): 36.6%–54.4%] and that of menorrhagia was 17% (95% CI: 11.6%–25.3%). QOL in women with dysmenorrhea was poor compared with normal women in physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains (mean score 57.9 vs. 69.7, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Prevalence of dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia is comparatively high in this study area. QOL of women with these disorders was poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Menstrual health problems are a largely neglected priority within the sexual and reproductive health domain in most low-income countries. We examined the prevalence of menstrual health problems and their association with various socio-economic, demographic, and reproductive health factors using a population-based survey. Pain during menstruation (5.6%) and irregular menstrual cycles (4.3%) were the most common menstrual problems reported. The odds of reporting menstrual problems were higher among women who had had an abortion, had reproductive tract infections, and had ever used contraception, after we controlled for confounds. Findings of the study reinforce the need to provide menstrual health care services at the primary level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Reproductive problems are becoming the most predominant health care problems in many countries. World Health Organization (WHO), in 2012, also exemplified maternal illnesses, for instance, birth asphyxia and post birth difficulties are rising at an alarming rate. In addition, not all abnormalities of the human reproductive system have the same origin; the effects of reproductive problems would likely been affected by both male and female. For easy accessibility and affordability, medicinal plants are playing crucial role in primary healthcare services in India and their use is moreover, an integral part of the cultural heritage. However, our growing understanding of the human reproductive problems are segregated and scanty for herbal medications. Aim of the study To document the local name of the medicinal plants used by both male and female from indigenous knowledge for the treatment of reproductive ailments and to explore their biological and pharmacological confirmation and to address the class of secondary metabolites present therein. Materials and methods The results stem in September 2015–April 2016 from an array of informations that were collected by direct interviews of the traditional medicinal practitioners in three villages, viz. Jaha, Niz-Bahjani and Madhupur of the southern Nalbari district, Assam. Both semi-structured and open-ended interview schedule was carried out with purposively selected individuals and focus group discussion (FGD) in the three selected sites for this study. Systematic analysis of fidelity level percentage (FL %), preference ranking percentage (PR %) and formulation scoring (FS) were calculated. Electronic databases such as Google, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect were also been used to search existing pharmacological citations. Finally, qualitative chemical profiling were executed for the plants whose PR % scores ≥ 65. Results A total of 71 plant species belonging to 48 families and 64 genera are reported to be used for the treatment of several reproductive problems such as, infertility in male, impotence, erectile dysfunctioning, retrograde ejaculation and sexual potency in men and in women, aphrodisiac, metrorrhagia, infertility, dysmenorrhea and/or post birth difficulties under mono (57), di (17) and poly (8) herbal formulations. Herbs (40.85%) were reported as the most common lifeform, whereas leaves (22.54%) and the roots (22.54%) were the commonly used plant parts against different ailments. Extracts of Abroma augusta L. (stem) (FL: 66.67%, PR: IM-77.33%, L-65.33, FS: 2), Morinda angustifolia Roxb. (bark) (FL: 64.29%, PR: L-68%, FS: 1), Hodgsonia heteroclita Roxb. (fruit) (FL: 63.64%, PR: IF-65.33, FS: 0.25) and Hibiscus mutabilis L. (stem) (FL: 40%, PR: IM-68%, IIM: 65.33%, IML-68%, FS: 2) were than selected for further phytochemical analysis. Conclusions Of the 71 plants used for reproductive management system, the highest number of plants were used for the treatment of irregular menstruation (22) followed by infertility (in both men and women) (19), vaginal disorder and leucorrhoea (9) and sexual potency (8). The qualitative chemical profiling have demonstrated the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and phytosterols, in maximum concentrations. Additionally, these data may be the most important resource for the new discovery of many bioactive principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea means painful menstruation. The menstrual period is a natural phenomenon which occurs throughout the reproductive years of every woman. Most female experience some degree of pain and discomfort in their menstrual period. Aim: The objective of the study was toassess and compare the dysmenorrhea in terms of severity of pain and utilization of NSAIDs among unmarried and married women. Materials and Methods: Non Experimental research approach with comparative survey research design was used. The sample size comprised of 163 women which includes 100 unmarried and 63 married women selected by purposive sampling techniques of selected institutes of M.M. University Mullana. Numeric pain rating scale and Utilization of NSAIDS performa was used to assess severity of pain and utilization of NSAIDS during menstruation respectively. Results: On the first day of menstruation, there was significant difference in the level of severity of pain among unmarried and married women as majority (78.57%) of unmarried experienced worst pain whereas majority (80%) of married reported mild pain during menstruation. There was no significant difference in the level of severity of pain among unmarried and married women on second and third day of menstruation. There was no significant difference in the utilization of NSAIDs during first, second and third day of dysmenorrhea among unmarried and married women Conclusion:It concluded that there was significant difference in the level of severity of pain among unmarried and married women on first day of menstruation as majority (78.57%) of unmarried experienced worst pain whereas majority (80%) of married reported mild pain during menstruation. There was no significant difference in the utilization of NSAIDs during first, second and third day of dysmenorrhea among unmarried and married women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition with painful menstrual cramps of uterine origin. Prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea is not yet clearly studied in central India. Objective: To study prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea in young girls and to evaluate associated clinical markers of dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, data was collected among 310 girls (18-25 years) on age at menarche, presence and absence of dysmenorrhea, dysmenorrhea duration, pre-menstrual symptoms (PMS), family history, menses irregularities, menstrual history, severity grading using visual analogue scale (VAS) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: Dysmenorrhea was reported in 84.2% (261) girls and 15.8% (49) reported no dysmenorrhea. Using VAS, 34.2% of girls experienced severe pain, 36.6% moderate and 29.2% had mild pain. Bleeding duration was found to be significantly associated with dysmenorrhea (χ² = 10.5; P < 0.05), girls with bleeding duration more than 5 days had 1.9 times more chance of getting dysmenorrhea (OR: 1.9; 95% CI: 1.7-3). Moreover, girls with the presence of clots had 2.07 times higher chance of having dysmenorrhea (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.04-4.1) (P < 0.05). Almost 53.7% girls who had some family history of dysmenorrhea, 90.9% experience the condition themselves (χ² = 11.5; P < 0.001). Girls with family history of dysmenorrhea had three times greater chance of having the same problem (OR: 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5-5.8; P = 0.001). Conclusion: Dysmenorrhea is found to be highly prevalent among college going girls. Family history, bleeding duration and presence of clots were significant risk factors for dysmenorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the efficacy of Rheum emodi in the management of primary dysmenorrhoea. Methods: A randomized, single-blind, standard controlled trial compared efficacy of R. emodi against mefenamic acid on diagnosed subjects of primary dysmenorrhoea for three consecutive cycles. Experimental group (n=30) received capsules of R. emodi powder two times a day, two days before the expected date of menstruation, and continued first three days of menstruation, while control group (n=15) participants received mefenamic acid capsules three times a day on the same protocol. The primary outcome measures were reduced in severity and duration of pain, assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and verbal multidimensional scoring system (VMSS), and secondary outcome measures were overall improvement of dysmenorrhoea and improved in quality of life (QOL). Statistical analysis was done by repeated measures analysis of variance and Chi-square/Fisher Exact test. Results: The menstrual pain was significantly decreased in both groups after three-cycle intervention. Significant changes were observed in VAS (p<0.001) and VMSS (p<0.001) in the experimental group. There is a significant (p<0.001) reduction in duration of pain in both the groups. Associated symptoms and QOL were markedly improved after treatment (p<0.001). Conclusions: It has been clear from the above result that R. emodi is an effective herb in alleviating symptoms of primary dysmenorrhoea. It can serve as an alternative treatment without any apparent side effects. These results deserve further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Herbal remedies form an integral part of healing and are considered to be the oldest forms of health care known to mankind. The present study aims to document traditional phytoremedies for the treatment of menstrual disorders in Udhampur district of J&K, India. Material and methods The informants were interviewed directly and information was gathered about plants used in different menstrual disorders. The data was further analyzed for use-value (UV), factor informant consensus ( F ic ) and fidelity level (Fl). Results In all, 62 informants were interviewed. Most of the informants (66%) were females. The patients prefer female healers over male vaids and hakims . A total of 50 plants were used to cure different menstrual disorders. Seeds were found to be of utmost medicinal importance (43.8%) followed by leaves (20.8%) and fruits (16.7%). Oral administration was observed to be the main mode (90.0%) of intake of medicine. The plants with high use-value were Triticum aestivum (UV=1.76), Taraxacum officinale (UV=1.16), Citrus limon (UV=0.95), Allium cepa (UV=0.79), Cicer arietinum (UV=0.77), Trigonella foenum-graecum (UV=0.66), Rubia manjith (UV=0.56), Ocimum tenuiflorum (UV=0.56) and Oryza sativa (UV=0.52). The various menstrual disorders were classified into 7 categories. The values of F ic varied between 0.96 (dysmenorrhea, itching and foul smell) and 0.92 (menorrhagia). The 100% Fl value was scored by 20 plants. Leucorrhea reported the highest 5 plants with 100% Fl. Nearly 40% of the formulations had two or more plants. Conclusion Plants used for the treatment of different menstrual disorders were documented and analyzed for ethnogynecological problems. The study revealed some plants like Triticum aestivum , Rubia manjith , Dalbergia sissoo , Raphanus sativus , Citrus limon , Allium cepa , Trigonella foenum-graecum , Elettaria cardamomum etc. to be of great importance vis a vis menstrual disorders. Further pharmacological studies of these plants may provide some important drugs for the treatment of common menstrual disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Menstrual cycle gets affected by various modifiable risk factors. To assess prevalence of various types of menstrual problems, lifestyle and mental health status, identification of variables as predictors for menstrual problems and level of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) awareness among rural and urban population of Punjab, the present study has been carried out., Methods: The study was conducted from November 2019 to July 2020 in the Malwa region of Punjab, India, with 2673 participants (15-25 years). Epidemiological information was collected using predesigned questionnaire along with depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21) score mental health assessment tool. MS-Excel (2019) and IBM SPSS 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used for statistical analysis., Results: The overall prevalence of different menstrual problems was 60.61%, with dysmenorrhea (50.64%) being most common problem. Body mass index (BMI), menarche age, physical activity, and mental health status are significant ( p  < 0.05) predictors of menstrual problem both in rural and urban population. Overall, only 3.30% subjects were aware about PCOS., Conclusion: Dysmenorrhea is the most common menstrual problem, both in rural and urban population. BMI, sedentary lifestyle, electronic gadgets usage, and mental health are associated with menstrual problems. Low awareness on PCOS indicates need to create awareness as the condition can be easily managed with early intervention.

Adolescent constitute over 21.4 % of the population in India. This period needs special attention because of turmoil of adolescence faces due to different stages of development, different circumstances, different needs and diverse problems. The psychosocial and emotional problems are of considerable magnitude and they may exert significant influence on their nutritional status. Unfortunately assessment of nutritional status of adolescent girls has been the least explored area of research particularly in rural India Objectives: of the present study were to (i) assess the nutritional status of the adolescent girls (ii) find out the reproductive health problems of the adolescent girls. Methods: Community based cross sectional study. Results: 68.9% of the study subjects had hypochromic red cells suggesting Iron deficiency anaemia. The mean age of the menarche was found to be 13.7 years. Dysmenorrhoea was the commonest problems faced by adolescent girls. Two third of study subjects were undernourished (BMI <18.5 Kg/M2). To achieve the optimum health and development of the adolescent segment of the population. There is a need to introduce a comprehensive Adolescent Health Initiative (AHI) at block level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysmenorrhoea is the most common gynecological disorder among adolescents with a prevalence of 60 - 93%. According to United States of America (USA) based studies, 42% of affected adolescents describe their menstrual pain as severe, 33% as moderate and 25% as mild. A number of studies have shown that in 10 - 15% of female students, dysmenorrhoea interferes with daily activities including school activities. Dysmenorrhoea accounts for 600 million lost work hours and US $ 2 billion in lost productivity annually. Objectives of the study were to, (i) identify the adolescent girls with menstrual discomfort. (ii) find the association between menstrual discomforts and selected variables such as onset of menarche, family support, dietary pattern, exercise, socio economic status, family history of dysmenorrhea, sleep pattern and academic performance. (iii) determine the effect of acupressure technique on severity of menstrual discomforts among adolescent girls in terms of reduction in menstrual discomforts as measured by menstrual discomfort severity assessment scale. In order to achieve the objectives of the study it was essential to carry out the research in two phases. In phase I, survey approach was used and in phase II evaluative approach is used. The intervention given was Acupressure procedure. Results indicated that acupressure was an effective technique in reducing the menstrual discomforts among adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is a multidimensional and multifactorial malaise. This study was to give a broad picture of all available information about the female suicide death cases dealt in Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government General Hospital, Chennai. Objective: The aim was to collect data, make a broad analysis, interpret and arrive at conclusive opinion about female suicide deaths in Chennai. Methodology: A retrospective analysis of female suicide deaths encountered in Institute of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Government General Hospital, Chennai in the year 2008 was done. This information was collected from the available records. Results: A total of 43 female suicide deaths were dealt with. Among these cases maximum number of them belong to the age group of 21 to 40 years, was married and was unemployed. 25 cases of poisoning was reported which contributed to the maximum. Organophosphorus compounds were the most common poison consumed. Other methods include hanging and burns. Interestingly abdominal pain was reported to be most common reason for committing suicide as per the records available. Conclusion: The cause of death supported by the autopsy findings has been elucidated in all the cases. Further on considering the reason for committing suicide, it is noteworthy to mention that in majority of cases abdominal pain has been the factor behind such acts as the records available. This reason could be a manifestation of psychosomatic illness. The object of the study would be more fulfilled if it throws open newer dimensions of studies like psychological autopsy to prevent such deaths in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common clinical entities encountered in regular practice by the gynecologists. Dysmenorrhea means painful menstruation. Fifty percent of the women suffer from dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea is correlated with Udavartini yonivyapad in Ayurveda. No successful advances have been made in the line of management till today by western medicine. Therefore, a complete, comprehensive and holistic approach toward its understanding and treatment is the need of the age. In this series, Uttar Vasti, a unique panchakarma procedure, is studied for its role in yonivyapads. A research study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Uttar Vasti with Trivrit and Lasuna oil in Primary dysmenorrhea. Thirty-six diagnosed cases of Udavartini Yonivyapad, viz., primary (spasmodic) dysmenorrhea, were selected and randomly allocated into two groups. The effect of Uttar Vasti was compared with the commonly used non steroidal anti inflammatory drug (control group). Uttar Vasti with Operculina turpethum (Trivrit) and Allium sativum (Lasuna) oil has shown encouraging results in Udavartini yonivyapad. Statistically significant relief was seen in the intensity of pain and the successive cycles were less painful in the treated group as compared to control group. The mode of action can be attributed to anti-inflammatory (vatahara), vasodilatory (ushna virya) antispasmodic and laxative (anulomana) properties of the trial drugs. The present study shows Uttar Vasti as a safe and easy technique to treat dysmenorrhea like conditions without any side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question: What is the prevalence of dysmenorrhea severity and its associated symptoms among adolescent girls? Objectives: (1) To study the prevalence of dysmenorrhea in high school adolescent girls of Gwalior. (2) To study the evidence of severity of the problem with associated symptoms and general health status. Study design: An explorative survey technique with a correlational approach. Setting and Participants: Nine hundred and seventy adolescent girls of age 15 to 20 years, studying in the higher secondary schools (Pre-University Colleges) of Gwalior. Statistical analysis: Percentages, Chi-square test, and Test-Retest Method. Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls was found to be 79.67%. Most of them, 37.96%, suffered regularly from dysmenorrhea severity. The three most common symptoms present on both days, that is, day before and first day of menstruation were lethargy and tiredness (first), depression (second) and inability to concentrate in work (third), whereas the ranking of these symptoms on the day after the stoppage of menstruation showed depression as the first common symptoms. Negative correlation had found between dysmenorrhea and the General Health Status as measured by the Body surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: It is well-known that every health problem, not only presents itself with different epidemiological profiles in different population settings, but is also perceived and managed differently. Having knowledge of these variations in its presentations and perceptions in different population settings, for example, in urban and rural settings, will be useful for its successful management. Aim: To study differences in epidemiological profiles, perceptions, socio economic losses, and quality-of-life losses and management of dysmenorrhoea in different settings for effective management. Design and Setting: A comparative cross-sectional study among adolescent school girls (101 girls in urban areas and 79 girls in rural areas) in the district of Karimnagar. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a pretested questionnaire was conducted among 180 adolescent girls in urban and rural settings. Statistical Analyses Used: Proportions and X² test. Results: The prevalence of dysmenorrhoea is 54% (53% in girls in urban areas and 56% in girls in rural areas) (X²df= 0.1, P = 0.05). Sickness absenteeism (28.48%), socio economic losses, and perceived quality of life losses are more prevalent among girls in urban areas than in girls in rural areas. Girls in rural areas resort to physical labor and other natural methods to obtain relief while the girls in urban areas are mainly depending on medications. Conclusions: Dysmenorrhoea can also be managed effectively by natural methods without resorting to medicines, provided one is psychologically prepared to face it without anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the findings of a study conducted by Ragi Ravi and Sajini B. Nair regarding the reproductive health problems of young women in India. The Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) survey was participated with teenagers between 15-24 years of age wherein it reveals that more of the ever married women are in the age group of 20-24 years old. It mentions that majority of problems associated which women suffer include abdominal pain, nausea and cramps. Moreover, it shows that more than one third of the young women population have reported at least one reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted infections (RTIs/STIs).

Objective To describe the prevalence and determinants of dysmenorrhoea, the most common menstrual complaint, in a community in India. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Catchment area of primary health centre in Goa, India. Population Three thousand women aged 18-45 years randomly selected. A total of 2494 women consented to participate (83.1%). Methods Eligible participants were asked standardised questions regarding menstrual complaints over the past 12 months, and socio-demographic, psychosocial and reproductive risk factors. Vaginal or urine specimens were collected for the diagnosis of reproductive tract infections. Main outcome measures Dysmenorrhoea of moderate to severe intensity. Results A total of 2262 women were eligible. More than half reported dysmenorrhoea; moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea was reported by 755 participants (33.4%, 95% CI 31.4-35.4). There was a linear association between severity of pain and impact (medication and taking rest) and the onset of pain (premenstrual onset associated with more severe pain). On multivariate analyses, the risk of moderate-severe dysmenorrhoea was associated with the experience of violence (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.5-34); other somatic complaints (OR 3.67, 95% CI 2.7-4.9 for highest somatoform symptom score category compared with the lowest); gynaecological complaints (non-menstrual lower abdominal pain: OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.3-2.3; dysuria: OR 1.98, 1.4-2.7); menorrhagia (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.4-2.6); and illiteracy (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.0-1.7). Having had a pregnancy (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.4-0.7), older age of menarche (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.5-0.9, for age >14 compared with <13 years) and older age (OR 0.43, 0.3-0.6 for age 40-50, compared with 18-24 years) were protective. Conclusions The burden of dysmenorrhoea is greater than any other gynaecological complaint, and is associated with significant impact. Social disadvantage, co-morbidity with other somatic syndromes and reproductive factors are determinants of this complaint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menstrual problems are highly prevalent in adolescent girls. So an effort is made to study the menstrual problems in adolescent girls. Research question: What is prevalence of menstrual problems in adolescent girls in slum areas? Objective: Study menstrual problems in adolescent girls and its variation with the age. Study design: Community based cross sectional study. Method: 400 adolescent girls were interviewed from selected 10 urban slums of Solapur Municipal Corporation area. Results: The average age of the participant was 15.92 ± 2.33 years. 302 (75.5%) girls in the present study had either one or more menstrual problems. The most common menstrual problem was dysmenorrhea (45%). Followed by oligomenorrhea (15.25%), menorrhagia (13.75%) and polymenorrhea (8.25%). Prevalence of dysmenorrhea and oligomenorrhea was more in the higher age group while, menorrhagia and polymenorrhea decreases as the age advances. But overall menstrual problems were significantly less as the age of the adolescent advances (?2 =9.48; P=0.01). Significant number of adolescent girls had menstrual problems like dysmenorrhea, oligomenorrhea etc. So there is need to formulate appropriate counseling and management plans/ polices to tackle these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menstruation is a normal physiological phenomenon for females indicating her capability for procreation. However this normal often associated with some degree of sufferings and embarrassment. The prevalence of menstrual disorders has been recorded as high as 87 % though there is a relative openness in the society as well as commercialization has increased, the menstrual hygienic practices have not changed much. Mostly it is because of a sense of hesitation and to an extent, because of financial restraints. Present study was carried in this line to find out problems. Aims and Objectives: To find out the age of menarche of girls and to know menstrual pattern and menstrual hygiene practice & to find out the prevalence and types of menstrual disorders. Materials and Methods: Present cross sectional study was carried out at Govt. High school of Bhavnagar city. Total 745 Adolescent school girls were interviewed by trained female interns Information was obtained in a self administered proforma in a local language related to age of menarche, total days of bleeding, regularity of cycle, menstrual hygiene and menstrual problems after verbal consent. Results: The mean age of menarche was found to be about 14 (13.99, S.D. 1.8). Most of the girls (88.1%) had the prior information about menstruation before the occurrence of the event. The most common menstrual pattern was 30/3-5 days. The most common menstrual disorder was dysmenorrhea (50.6%), followed by irregular menstruation (22.9%). Most of the girls (87.3 %) used old plain cloth as menstrual absorbent. Conclusion: Adolescent girls should be made educated about normal physiology of menstruation and menstrual hygiene at schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysmennorhoea is a common menstrual problem affecting the women and disrupting their work .About 40-70% of women of reproductive age suffers with dysmenorrhoea and is associated with significant psychological, physical, behavioural and social distress. The present study aimed to find prevalence of dysmenorrhea among married and unmarried women, and to determine factors associated with dysmenorrhea. Study design A correlative survey design was used to identify the prevalence of dysmenorrhea and its relationship with selected factors among married (100) and unmarried (100) women aged 18- 45 years. Results Prevalence of dysmenorrhea was high among unmarried women (64%) as compared to married women (31%). The chi- square computed was statistically significant (÷2 (1) = 21.83, p<0.05). Moderate dysmenorrhea was reported among 85.9% of unmarried and 90.3% of married women. Stress and physical activity showed associated with dysmenorrhea. Conclusions Dysmenorrhea was more prevalent among unmarried women. Stress and physical activity were strongly associated with dysmenorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence of hysterectomy in India is limited mainly due to lack of information in large-scale nationally representative health surveys. In 2015–16, the fourth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) – a cross-sectional survey – collected for the first time direct information on hysterectomy and self-reported reasons for undergoing the procedure among women in the reproductive age group. This paper examines the prevalence and determinants of hysterectomy in India among women aged 30–49 years in 29 states and seven union territories (UTs) of India using the NFHS-4 dataset. Methods: Percentage weighted by sampling weights was used for estimating the prevalence of hysterectomy. The paper used crosstabulations and percentage distributions to estimate the prevalence of hysterectomy across different socioeconomic backgrounds and reasons for undergoing hysterectomy respectively. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was also used to find statistically significant determinants of hysterectomy. Results: In India as a whole, 6 % of women aged 30–49 years had undergone a hysterectomy. The percentage of women who had undergone the procedure was found to vary considerably across the states and the UTs (from a minimum of 2% in Lakshadweep to a maximum of 16% in Andhra Pradesh). A noticeable fact that emerged was that the majority of the hysterectomies were performed in the private sector except in the northeast region. Years of schooling, caste, religion, geographic region, place of residence, wealth quintiles, age, parity, age at first cohabitation, marital status, and body mass index of women were found to be the sociodemographic determinants statistically associated with hysterectomy in India. The reasons reported frequently for hysterectomy were excessive menstrual bleeding/pain (56%), followed by fibroids/cysts (20%). Conclusion: The percentage and likelihood of undergoing hysterectomy are relatively high among women from older age groups (45–49), those who reside in rural areas, those without schooling, those who are obese, those having high parity, those with a low age at first marriage, and those who reside in the eastern and southern parts of India. The policy implication of these findings is that the reproductive health program managers should ensure regular screening and timely treatment of the problems resulting in hysterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]