Common Menstrual Problems among Slum Adolescent Girls of Western Maharashtra, India

Background: Menstruation, an important part of female reproductive cycle but menstrual dysfunction in adolescent girls may affect normal life of adolescent and young adult women. Objectives: To assess the percentage of common menstrual problems among adolescent girls from urban slums and to determine the correlation between common menstrual problems with nutritional status of these girls. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among adolescent girls residing in urban slum area under the field practice area of Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences Karad of western Maharashtra, India during the month of November -December 2011. 237 adolescent girls, age between 12-19 years were interviewed and examined using pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Data was collected by researchers with the help of Medical Officer and Medical Social Worker of Urban Health Training Center by personal interview and clinical examination method. Data was compiled and presented into frequency percentage distribution. Chisquare test was applied to determine the association between common menstrual problems with body mass index and anemia. Results: Out of total 237 adolescent girls, 230 (97.04%) had attained menarche of which, 147 girls (63.91%) had regular and 83(36.08%) had irregular menstrual cycle with mean age at menarche by recall method was 12.8 yrs. The percentage of common menstrual problems such as oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, hypomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome were 16.08%, 17.82%, 27.39%, 59.56%, 49.13% and 46.52% respectively, however amenorrhea (primary) was seen in 3 (0.01%) girls. Prevalence of undernutrition and anemia was 40.86% and 60.43%. Health seeking behavior for common menstrual problem was seen in only 25.75% girls. Oligomenorrhea, menorrhagia, hypomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome were significantly associated with anemia; however BMI was significantly associated with dysmenorrhea, hypomenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome. Conclusion: Menstrual health is fundamental to women ' s sexual and reproductive health. The present study has observed mean age at menarche of 12.8year and prevalence of undernutrition and anemia as 40.86% & 60.43% respectively. Poor nutritional status and anemia were associated with common menstrual problems among adolescent girls from slum area.