Korean J Obstet Gynecol.
1999 Sep;42(9):2043-2047.
Adolescent menstrual disorders: Comparison Between 1988 and 1998
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To compare the age of menarche, changing patterns of the menstrual characteristics in adolescent girls between 1988 and 1998.
METHODS
A survey was undertaken for 1,500 highschool girls and compare with those of pervious study for 5,000 middle and highschool girls performed by same author in 1998 by means of questionnaire.
RESULTS
During a decade, the mean menarcheal age decreased from 13.5+/-1.0 to 12.7+/-1.0 years(p=0.001). Gynecologic age, Body mass index were associated with age of menarche in both 1988 and 1998. The interval of menstruation was 30.6 3.5dyas in 1998 and shortened compared with 32.1+/-6.3 days in 1988(p=0.001). The duration of menstruation was lengthened in 1998 than in 1988(6.1+/-1.1 days vs 5.8+/-2.2 days, p=0.001). The incidence of irregular cycle(28.2% vs 58.2%, p=0.001), dysmenorrhea(73.9% vs 77.8%, p=0.001), and secondary amenorrhea(16.2% vs 27.2%, p= 0.001) decreased in 1998 compared with those of 1988. The incidence of agonies about menstruation was also decreased in 1998 than in 1988(26.2% vs 69.1%, p=0.001). The most common agony about menstruation in 1988 was irregular cycle(28.4%), but dysmenorrhea( 64.3%) in 1998.
CONCLUSIONS
From the above results, the mean age of menarche was advanced since last decade but most of the adolescent girls still have suffered from dysmenorrhea.
