Home > Medical Reference > Patient Education

Ask the Expert

Get answers to your pelvic surgery /minimally invasive surgery questions.

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

Menstrual disorders - Risk Factors

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, treatment, and prevention of menstrual cramps.

Alternative Names

Dysmenorrhea; Menorrhagia; Amenorrhea; Cramps; Heavy menstrual bleeding

Risk Factors:

Age plays a key role in menstrual disorders. Girls who start menstruating at age 11 or younger are at higher risk for severe pain, longer periods, and longer menstrual cycles. Between 20 - 90% of teenage girls report menstrual pain, and about 15% report that it is severe. Adolescents may develop amenorrhea before their ovulating cycles become regular.

Women who are approaching menopause (perimenopause) may also skip periods. Occasional episodes of heavy bleeding are also common as women approach menopause.

Other risk factors include:

Weight. Being either excessively overweight or underweight can increase the risk for dysmenorrhea and amenorrhea.
Smoking and Alcohol Use. Smokers have a 50% higher risk than nonsmokers for menstrual pain. Alcohol does not cause menstrual pain, but in women with dysmenorrhea, alcohol consumption may prolong the pain.
Stress. Physical and emotional stress may block the release of luteinizing hormone, causing temporary amenorrhea. Emotional problems, including history of sexual abuse, may predispose to dysmenorrhea.
Menstrual Cycles and Flow. Longer and heavier menstrual cycles can cause dysmenorrhea.
Pregnancy History. Women who have had a higher number of pregnancies are at increased risk for menorrhagia. Women who have never given have a higher risk of dysmenorrhea, while women who first gave birth at a young age are at lower risk.
Chronic Pelvic Pain. Many women feel chronic pain in the pelvic area. This pain can be due to gynecologic reasons (such as fibroids, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease) or non-gynecologic causes (such as irritable bowel syndrome, interstitial cystitis, or diverticulitis).

Exercise and oral contraceptive use may help protect against dysmenorrhea.

Resources

www.acog.org -- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
www.resolve.org -- National Infertility Association
www.asrm.com -- American Society for Reproductive Medicine
www.endometriosisassn.org -- Endometriosis Association

References

American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence; American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health Care; Diaz A, Laufer MR, Breech LL. Menstruation in girls and adolescents: using the menstrual cycle as a vital sign. Pediatrics. 2006 Nov;118(5):2245-50.

Apgar BS, Kaufman AH, George-Nwogu U, Kittendorf A. Treatment of menorrhagia. Am Fam Physician. 2007 Jun 15;75(12):1813-9.

Beaumont H, Augood C, Duckitt K, Lethaby A. Danazol for heavy menstrual bleeding. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jul 18;(3):CD001017.

Casablanca Y. Management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2008 Jun;35(2):219-34.

Chen EC, Danis PG, Tweed E. Clinical inquiries. Menstrual disturbances in perimenopausal women: what's best? J Fam Pract. 2009 Jun;58(6):E3.

Damlo S. ACOG guidelines on endometrial ablation. Am Fam Physician. 2008 Feb 15;77(4):545-549.

Dietrich JE. Von Willebrand's disease. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol. 2007 Jun;20(3):153-5.

Kaunitz AM, Meredith S, Inki P, Kubba A, Sanchez-Ramos L. Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system and endometrial ablation in heavy menstrual bleeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obstet Gynecol. 2009 May;113(5):1104-16.

Lethaby A, Irvine G, Cameron I. Cyclical progestogens for heavy menstrual bleeding. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD001016.

Lobo RA. Abnormal uterine bleeding. Ovalutory and anovulatory dysfunctional uterine bleeding, management of acute and chronic excessive bleeding. In: Katz VL, Lobo RA, Lentz G, Gershenson D, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2007:chap 37.

Lobo RA. Primary and secondary amenorrhea and precocious puberty. Etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management. In: Katz VL, Lobo RA, Lentz G, Gershenson D, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2007:chap 38.

Master-Hunter T, Heiman DL. Amenorrhea: evaluation and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2006 Apr 15;73(8):1374-82.

Ortiz DD. Chronic pelvic pain in women. Am Fam Physician. 2008 Jun 1;77(11):1535-42.

Practice Committee of American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Indications and options for endometrial ablation. Fertil Steril. 2008 Nov;90(5 Suppl):S236-40.

Proctor ML, Farquhar CM. Dysmenorrhoea. Clin Evid. 2006 Jun;(15):2429-48.

Sambrook AM, Bain C, Parkin DE, Cooper KG. A randomised comparison of microwave endometrial ablation with transcervical resection of the endometrium: follow up at a minimum of 10 years. BJOG. 2009 Jul;116(8):1033-7. Epub 2009 May 11.

Witt CM, Reinhold T, Brinkhaus B, Roll S, Jena S, Willich SN. Acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea: a randomized study on clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in usual care. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Feb;198(2):166.e1-8.

Wong CL, Farquhar C, Roberts H, Proctor M. Oral contraceptive pill as treatment for primary dysmenorrhoea. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Apr 15;(2):CD002120.

Reviewed last on: 8/5/2009
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

Connect with UMMC

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885