Factors Associated with Increased Pain in Primary Dysmenorrhea: Analysis Using a Multivariate Ordered Logistic...

Area of Science:

• Gynecology
• Pain Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common condition affecting women of reproductive age.
• Previous studies often treated pain as binary or focused only on diagnosed PD patients.
• A detailed pain gradient assessment is needed to understand factors contributing to severe PD pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with intense pain in young women experiencing primary dysmenorrhea.
• To utilize a detailed pain grading scale to assess PD severity.
• To contribute novel findings to the understanding of PD pain intensity.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study was conducted.
• 306 women aged 18-30 years at a Spanish University participated in 2016.
• Participants completed a questionnaire assessing factors related to dysmenorrhea, with pain graded using the Andersch and Milsom scale (0-3).

Main Results:

• Higher menstrual flow was significantly associated with more extreme pain (OR, 2.11; P < .001).
• Worse quality of life correlated with increased pain intensity (OR, 0.97; P < .001).
• Medication use for PD showed a strong association with severe pain (OR, 8.22; P < .001).

Conclusions:

• This study identified key factors associated with extreme primary dysmenorrhea pain.
• Heavier menstrual flow, reduced quality of life, and medication use are significant indicators of severe PD.
• Further research is recommended to validate these findings and inform clinical practice.