Survey study, 1979
How common is painful periods and premenstrual tension in teenage girls?
Very common and worsens with age. Painful periods ranged from 7.2% in the first menstrual year to 26% five years later, reaching 56.5% by ages 17 to 20. Painful periods run in families.
What they did
First study: 5458 girls aged 10 to 20 tracked painful menstruation over five years with comparison of mothers and daughters. Second: 331 girls aged 13 to 20 reported school absences. Third: 865 adult women reported menstrual pain and premenstrual tension.
What they found
Painful periods increased from 7.2% in first year to 26% five years later. At 13 to 14 years old, 36% had dysmenorrhea; by 17 to 20 years this rose to 56.5%. School absences due to pain were 23.4%. Mothers and daughters showed correlation for both dysmenorrhea and premenstrual tension. In adult women, 88% had premenstrual tension and 45% had menstrual pain.
What it means for you
Painful periods are very common in teenage girls and become more frequent with age. They run in families. Many girls miss school because of pain. This descriptive study did not test treatments, though the authors suggest modern pain relievers might help.
7.2%
painful periods in first year
26%
painful periods five years later
56.5%
dysmenorrhea at ages 17 to 20
About the study
- Original title
- Dysmenorrhea during adolescence
- Authors
- Widholm O
- Journal
- Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. Supplement
- Year
- 1979
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 5,458
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/00016347909157792
Topics
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