Publication:

A study on premenstrual syndrome among adolescent girl students in an urban area of West Bengal

Background Previous studies in India reported a prevalence of premenstrual syndrome to be 20% in a general population and severe symptoms in 8%. The present study was conducted to study the socio-demographic characteristics of adolescent school girls, to estimate the proportion of premenstrual syndrome among them and to find out factors associated with premenstrual syndrome, if any.

Methods It was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at a Kolkata city. Data were collected from the students of Class IX to XII in the classroom using pre-tested pre-designed self-administered questionnaire. Total 278 students were included in the study. Data analysis was done with the help of SPSS version 20.0.

Results The mean age of the students was 15.61 years ± 1.3. 54% of girls reported to have PMS. Out of the affective symptoms in ACOG criteria depression was by 45.7%, anger by 61.2%, irritability by 88.1%, anxiety by 51.8%, confusion by 46.4%, rejection by 24.8, breast pain by 22.7, abdominal distension by 37.5%, headache by 40.6% and swelling of limbs by 5% of girls.

Conclusions Proper medical care and psychological counselling should be sought earlier for increased blood flow during menstruation and dysmenorrhoea to get rid of PMS in adolescent girls.