2.4 Menstrual disorders

. Menstrual disorders A bsence of menstruation is called amenorrhoea . If menarche does not appear till the age of , it is called primary amenorrhoea . Absence of menstruation for over three consecutive months is secondary amenorrhoea . Polymenorrhoea is a term used to describe a menstrual cycle that is shorter than days. It may be due to hyperactivity of the anterior pituitary gland causing frequent ovulation, psychological disturbances and malnutrition. Chronic pelvic inflammation by certain sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as chlamydiasis or gonorrhoea can cause inflammation in the uterus causing polymenorrhoea. Pain associated with menstruation is called dysmenorrhoea . It is the most commonly reported menstrual disorder. There are two types of dysmenorrhoea viz primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea. Primary dysmenorrhoea is pain or cramps during menstrual period and is caused by secretions of prostaglandin in the uterus. Secondary dysmenorrhoea is caused by a disorder in the reproductive system like endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Heavy and prolonged menstrual period that disrupts a woman’s normal activities is referred to as menorrhagia . Menorrhagia may be due to hormonal imbalance, ovarian dysfunction, uterine fibroids and may also be due to cancer of the ovary, uterus or cervix. Oligomenorrhoea is a condition with infrequent menstrual periods. It occurs in women of childbearing age. Some variation in menstruation is normal, but a woman who regularly goes more than days without menstruating may be diagnosed with oligomenorrhoea .