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PloS One 2020Research suggests that medical students as well as women are at greater risk of depression compared to the general population and men. This suggests that female medical...
OBJECTIVE
Research suggests that medical students as well as women are at greater risk of depression compared to the general population and men. This suggests that female medical students are crucial targets requiring specific monitoring for mental health disorder prevention and intervention. However, little is known regarding the risk factors for poor mental health among this population. Therefore, we investigated whether menstrual symptoms and nutritional status are associated with psychological distress in Japanese female medical students.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study assessed 326 female medical students who attended a school medical check-up, which included blood sampling in 2018. The levels of psychological distress were evaluated using the Japanese General Health Questionnaire (J-GHQ)-30. We defined high GHQ scores as GHQ-30 ≥7. We checked dysmenorrhea levels and assessed menstrual symptoms according to the presence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Dysmenorrhea was evaluated according to quartiles of the sum of the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ). PMS was assessed using the Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire (PSQ). We evaluated levels of serum albumin, hemoglobin, ferritin, and lipid metabolite as nutritional factors. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between menstrual-related symptoms or nutritional factors and the levels of psychological distress.
RESULTS
A total of 45 female medical students (15%) experienced psychological distress. Serum albumin levels were associated with psychological distress, while lipid metabolite levels were not. The intensity of dysmenorrhea and the presence of PMS were associated with psychological distress, independent of nutritional status.
CONCLUSION
Both menstrual symptoms and nutrition markers were associated with the levels of psychological distress in Japanese female medical students. School doctors and nurses can help improve the mental health of young female medical students by encouraging a healthy diet and checking for the presence of menstrual symptoms.
Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dysmenorrhea; Female; Humans; Menstruation Disturbances; Mental Health; Nutritional Status; Psychological Distress; Risk Factors; Students, Medical; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult
PubMed: 32658906
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235909 -
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Jul 2021
Topics: Absenteeism; Adolescent; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Menstruation Disturbances; Pain; Progestins; Prostaglandins; Sports
PubMed: 34281974
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.201972-f -
American Family Physician Sep 2005For centuries, chasteberry has been used to treat many hormone-related gynecologic conditions. The current literature supports the use of chasteberry for cyclical breast... (Review)
Review
For centuries, chasteberry has been used to treat many hormone-related gynecologic conditions. The current literature supports the use of chasteberry for cyclical breast discomfort and premenstrual syndrome; data on its use for menstrual irregularities and fertility disorders are weak. Its traditional use as a galactagogue (i.e., a substance that enhances breast milk production) is not well supported in the literature and should be discouraged. There are no clinical data to support the use of chasteberry for reducing sexual desire, which has been a traditional application. Chasteberry is well tolerated; reported adverse effects are minor and may include gastrointestinal complaints, dizziness, and dry mouth. No herb-drug interactions have been reported, but caution is advised for its concomitant use with dopamine agonists or antagonists. Optimal standardization and dosing recommendations await clarification in clinical studies.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infertility, Female; Lactation; Libido; Menstruation Disturbances; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Vitex
PubMed: 16156340
DOI: No ID Found -
British Medical Journal Mar 1973
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anorexia Nervosa; Female; Humans; Menstruation Disturbances; Neurotic Disorders; Pregnancy; Premenstrual Syndrome; Progesterone; Pseudopregnancy; Scopolamine; Stress, Psychological; Water-Electrolyte Balance
PubMed: 4735136
DOI: No ID Found -
American Family Physician Aug 2021
Topics: Disease Management; Female; Humans; Menstrual Cycle; Menstruation; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 34383457
DOI: No ID Found -
Ugeskrift For Laeger Sep 2018
Topics: Abdominal Pain; Adolescent; Congenital Abnormalities; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Hematocolpos; Humans; Hymen; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 30187850
DOI: No ID Found -
Anaesthesia Apr 2021In the UK, the proportion of female medical students has remained static over the last decade, at around 55%; however, at consultant level, only 36.6% of doctors are... (Review)
Review
In the UK, the proportion of female medical students has remained static over the last decade, at around 55%; however, at consultant level, only 36.6% of doctors are women. The reasons for this drop in numbers are not clear. Given the increase in number of female doctors in training, the proportion of female doctors at consultant level is lower than might be expected. This article discusses issues affecting the female medical workforce in anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine. It explores how gender stereotypes and implicit gender bias can affect the way women are perceived in the workplace, especially in leadership positions, and discusses health issues particular to the female medical workforce. While the issues in this article may not affect all women, the cumulative effect of being subject to gender stereotypes within a workplace not designed to accommodate the health needs of women may contribute to a work environment that may promote the attrition of women from our specialties.
Topics: Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Infertility; Menstruation Disturbances; Parental Leave; Sexism; Stereotyping; Workforce
PubMed: 33682097
DOI: 10.1111/anae.15359 -
The Journal of Obstetrics and... Apr 2023Endometriosis is a serious, chronic disorder where endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, causing severe pelvic pain and infertility. It affects 11% of women....
Endometriosis is a serious, chronic disorder where endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, causing severe pelvic pain and infertility. It affects 11% of women. Endometriosis is a multifactorial disorder of unclear etiology, although retrograde menstruation plays a major role. It has a genetic component with over 40 genetic risk factors mapped, although their mechanism of action is still emerging. New evidence suggests a role for retrograde menstruation of endometrial stem/progenitor cells, now that identifying markers of these cells are available. Recent lineage tracing and tissue clearing microscopy and 3D reconstruction has provided new understanding of endometrial glandular structure, particularly the horizontal orientation and interconnection of basalis glands. New sequencing technologies, particularly whole genome DNA sequencing are revealing somatic mutations, including in cancer driver genes, in normal and eutopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis, as well as ectopic endometriotic lesions. Methylome sequencing is offering insight into the regulation of genes and the role of the environmental factors. Single cell RNA sequencing reveals the transcriptome of individual endometrial cells, shedding new light on the diversity and range of cellular subpopulations of the major cell types present in the endometrium and in endometriotic lesions. New endometrial epithelial organoid cultures replicating glandular epithelium are providing tractable models for studying endometriosis. Organoids derived from menstrual fluid offer a non-invasive source of endometrial tissue and a new avenue for testing drugs and developing personalized medicine for treating endometriosis. These new approaches are rapidly advancing our understanding of endometriosis etiology.
Topics: Humans; Female; Endometriosis; Endometrium; Epithelium; Epithelial Cells; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 36746607
DOI: 10.1111/jog.15549 -
BMC Women's Health Sep 2023Menstrual disturbances harm women's health, and general well-being. As growing evidence highlights the relationship between sleep and menstrual disturbances, it is...
BACKGROUND
Menstrual disturbances harm women's health, and general well-being. As growing evidence highlights the relationship between sleep and menstrual disturbances, it is imperative to comprehensively examine the association between sleep and menstrual disturbance considering the multiple dimensions of sleep. This systematic review aims to identify the association between sleep and menstrual disturbances by evaluating using Buysse's sleep health framework.
METHODS
A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, psychINFO, and CINAHL to identify publications describing any types of menstrual disturbances, and their associations with sleep published between January 1, 1988 to June 2, 2022. Quality assessment was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies. The findings were iteratively evaluated menstrual disturbances and their association with sleep using Buysse's sleep health framework. This framework understands sleep as multidimensional concept and provides a holistic framing of sleep including Satisfaction, Alertness during waking hours, Timing of sleep, Efficiency, and Sleep duration. Menstrual disturbances were grouped into three categories: premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea, and abnormal menstrual cycle/heavy bleeding during periods.
RESULTS
Thirty-five studies were reviewed to examine the association between sleep and menstrual disturbances. Premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea were associated with sleep disturbances in sleep health domains of Satisfaction (e.g., poor sleep quality), Alertness during waking hours (e.g., daytime sleepiness), Efficiency (e.g., difficulty initiating/maintaining sleep), and Duration (e.g., short sleep duration). Abnormal menstrual cycle and heavy bleeding during the period were related to Satisfaction, Efficiency, and Duration. There were no studies which investigated the timing of sleep.
CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS
Sleep disturbances within most dimensions of the sleep health framework negatively impact on menstrual disturbances. Future research should longitudinally examine the effects of sleep disturbances in all dimensions of sleep health with the additional objective sleep measure on menstrual disturbances. This review gives insight in that it can be recommended to provide interventions for improving sleep disturbances in women with menstrual disturbance.
Topics: Female; Humans; Dysmenorrhea; Cross-Sectional Studies; Menstruation Disturbances; Premenstrual Syndrome; Sleep; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 37658359
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02629-0 -
Women's Health (London, England) Jul 2013Normal menstruation is an inflammatory process, where the endometrial concentrations and functions of several leukocyte types can change greatly through the menstrual... (Review)
Review
Normal menstruation is an inflammatory process, where the endometrial concentrations and functions of several leukocyte types can change greatly through the menstrual cycle, especially during the premenstrual and menstrual phases. These leukocytes probably have a range of functions related to mucosal protection, decidualization, embryo implantation, and the process of menstrual tissue breakdown, repair and remodeling. Some of these leukocyte changes are apparently linked to changes in the pattern of circulating leukocytes. Many immune cells have been identified in the endometrium, and those with most relevance to the processes of menstruation include uterine natural killer cells, macrophages, mast cells, neutrophils, dendritic cells and Tregs. A range of disturbances in endometrial immune cell numbers, distributions and functions, and in a range of different inflammatory and other mediators, have been identified in women with heavy menstrual bleeding or endometriosis. Sufficient evidence exists to implicate these immune changes in some of the functional disturbances and symptoms identified in these women. This field is greatly under-researched, and ripe for the wider application of modern molecular and cellular techniques in human and animal model studies.
Topics: Endometriosis; Female; Humans; Menorrhagia; Menstrual Cycle; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 23826779
DOI: 10.2217/whe.13.32