Stress as a Risk Factor for Pre-Menstrual Syndrome in Adolescent girls

Girls who reported with higher levels of stress in 10- 14 days before they got their periods were two to three times more likely to experience, irritation, mood swings, craving for specific food and as well as physical PMS symptoms such as bloating, low back pain, cramps, and headache, compared to girls who did not feel stressed early on in their cycles. Until now, very few studies addressed the association of perceived stress and pre-menstrual syndrome. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the association of perceived stress and PMS among adolescent school going girls of Aligarh city. The present comparative cross-sectional study conducted on 320 school going girls aged 14 - 17 years. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select the subjects. A pretested and self-structured questionnaire cum interview schedule was used to collect information regarding the demographic profile, BMI, menarche and PMS. Their stress levels were assessed and further categorized with the help of the Perceived Stress Scale – 10 (PSS- 10). Data analysis for the statistical test was done using SPSS version 21.0. Out of 320 subjects, 228 (71.2%) were suffering from PMS. Majority of PMS group subjects were experiencing more than one mild to moderate symptoms during or before their menstruation. Chi square test statistics indicate that there is a highly strong association between perceived stress and PMS. Hence, stress must be considered as a significant and important risk factor while identifying PMS. Stress reduction programs in school may be an effective prevention tool to overcome PMS.