Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with dysmenorrhea in early adulthood: A cohort study.

Aim: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are serious conditions that occur in 5–10% of pregnancies. Maternal factors, such as maternal age, obesity, and renal disease, have been described as risk factors. In order to extract the background lifestyle and gynecological characteristics for HDP, we conducted a prospective cohort study. Methods: Pregnant participants were administered a questionnaire on characteristics, menstrual abnormalities and lifestyle factors. The women were followed individually until 1‐month postpartum. We used medical records to examine the relationship between menstrual abnormalities and the onset of HDP. Results: We collected data from 193 pregnant women, and excluding 3 who had miscarriage, examined the records of 190. A total of 26 patients developed HDP, of which 10 had early‐onset HDP and 16 had late‐onset HDP. Although there was no significant association between HDP and dysmenorrhea just prior to pregnancy, there was a significant increase in the incidence of HDP in patients who experienced dysmenorrhea around the age of 20 years (odds ratio 4.362 [95% CI 1.61–11.81]). Conclusion: We found that patients with a history of dysmenorrhea around the age of 20 years have a significantly higher risk of developing HDP. Although dysmenorrhea in young adulthood is ameliorated, it may become apparent as a perinatal disease when a physical load such as pregnancy is applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]