The Relationship between Age at Menarche and Primary Dysmenorrhea in Female Students of Shiraz Schools

Background: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common gynecological problems. This study aimed to determine the relationship between age at menarche and painful menstruation among female students of Shiraz schools. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted on 2000 female students. For data collection, a researcher-made questionnaire was applied. Data were analyzed using statistical tests in SPSS version 21. Results: About 69.3% of the participants had experienced at least 1 episode of menstrual bleeding. Among postmenarcheal subjects, 77.7% had dysmenorrhea, while 22.3% did not. There was no significant relationship between age at menarche and dysmenorrhea (P = 0.15). However, there was a significant relationship between the onset of dysmenorrhea and postmenarche years (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Although two-thirds of students suffered from primary dysmenorrhea, no significant relationship was found with age at menarche. Therefore, the high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among students calls for proper counseling and management.