Frequency of Depression in Females with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and Its Impact on Their Quality of Life

Objective: To determine the frequency of depression in females with heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and its impact on their quality of life (QoL). Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi, over a period of four months from March, 2025 to June, 2025. Methodology: Ninety-five women aged 18–45 years with HMB were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling. HMB was diagnosed based on clinical criteria including bleeding for more than 7 days, pad change every 2 hours, and presence of clots. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and QOL was evaluated using the PERIOD-QOL scale. Depression was stratified by age, BMI, duration of HMB, employment, and marital status. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: Depression was found in 47 (49.5%) patients. Among them, 22 (23.2%) had mild, 16 (16.8%) moderate, and 9 (9.5%) severe depression. The mean PHQ-9 score in depressed patients was 10.3 ± 4.2. The mean PERIOD-QOL score was significantly lower in depressed individuals (21.6 ± 6.5) compared to non-depressed participants (34.2 ± 5.8), with p < 0.001. Depression was significantly associated with higher BMI (p = 0.03) and longer duration of HMB (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Depression is highly prevalent among females with heavy menstrual bleeding and is significantly associated with poorer quality of life. Routine screening for depression and multidisciplinary management in gynecological care is essential for improving patient outcomes.