DELAYED OR IRREGULAR MENSTRUATION-RELATED TO MEDICATION

Background: Irregular menstruation is an important indicator of current and potential health problems. The aim of this research was to understand the issues that are related to delay or irregularity of menstruation because of intake of various medicines and how it can be addressed.

Methods: A design that would be appropriate for executing the research work is descriptive design. This design was ideal because it was beneficial in understanding the issues that are prevalent with the delay or irregularity in the menstruation cycle. Therefore, the selected design in the undertaken research work would aid in assessing the information and data considered in detail and in addition to this, a cross-sectional study needed to assess the considered data in detail.

Results: Study included 811 women in which all of them responded to study survey questions. Most of study participants feel that medicines might hold the potential of affecting menstruation adversely (n= 583, 71.9%) while 66% of study participants considered taking medicines result in delayed or irregular menstruation (n= 535%). In addition, study participants thought that medicines are not the only reason for menstrual irregularity (n= 581, 71.6%). Two thirds of study participants would recommend others not to take medicines to have normal menstrual cycle (n= 558, 68.8%). Women in this study were asked about which medicine is the cause of delayed menstruation, most women reported hormonal tablets to be the cause (n= 516, 63.6%). Upon asking women included in the current study how painful it is to lead a life with a delayed or irregular menstruation cycle, they responded it is moderate painful (n= 355, 43.8%). They reported that reduction of hormonal tablets might be the best method (392, 48.3%).

Conclusion: According to the study results, participants believe that drugs may have the ability to negatively disrupt menstruation. In addition, the great majority of participants in the survey claimed that monthly irregularity is prevalent. Moreover, survey participants believed that medications are not the only cause of menstruation irregularity. Two-thirds of survey participants would advise others not to use menstrual cycle-regulating medications. The majority of women cited hormone pills as the culprit. It is somewhat uncomfortable to live with irregular or delayed menstruation. Participants felt that decreasing the dosage of hormonal pills might be the most effective strategy.