Menstrual Cycle-Related Disorders

Abstract Several disruptive diseases or conditions can occur during menstruation for many women. These are known as catamenial diseases to indicate their monthly recurrence. They are caused by immunological, hemodynamic, hormonal, and metabolic changes that occur during menstruation. Pre-existing chronic illnesses can flare up; some during the pre-menstrual phase, others during menstruation itself. The most common of these menstrual cycle-related disorders is dysmenorrhea, or menstrual cramps. For many women, this can be an incapacitating affliction. For others, while tolerable, it is a monthly problem they dread. Migraine is the next most frequent catamenial condition and this complex syndrome can also be life-limiting. Endometriosis, a serious chronic disease, is actually caused by menstruation. Uterine lining cells sloughed off at the time of a woman’s period are discharged through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity where they attach themselves to pelvic organs. Each month, these endometrial implants grow in response to hormonal changes of the cycle. Endometriosis affects about one in ten women and can be extremely painful. Frequently, it is the reason for pelvic pain and painful sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) and is a major cause of difficult to treat infertility. Additional conditions that can take on a catamenial character include asthma, insomnia, arthritis, epilepsy, and others that are exacerbated by menstruation. This chapter will discuss these disorders and their relation to a woman’s menstrual cycle.