Introduction: Nearly 66 percent of adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome do not have ovulation. About 30 percent of them show symptoms of lack of ovulation in the form of primary amenorrhea or secondary amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of menstrual disorders in 14 to 18 years-old girls of high schools of Shiraz city and its association with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was held on 3200 girls in age 14 to 18 years-old in high schools of Shiraz city in year 2010. Data were collected through a questionnaire containing personal information, clinical parameters of hyperandrogenism and tests results. Tests including prolactin (to reject hyperprolactinemia disease), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (to exclude adrenal disease), total and free testosterone, thyroid hormone (to exclude hypothyroidism) were performed. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software version 11.5, Fisher, Chi-square, independent-T tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: 670 patients (12 %) had menstrual irregularities and 144 cases (4.6 %) suffered from oligomenorrhea. Based on Fisher test, there was a significant relationship between patients with oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovaries in comparison patients with oligomenorrhea and without polycystic ovaries (p<0.001). 21 persons (14.4%) had oligomenorrhea, hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries and there was a significant difference between them and without oligomenorrhea and hyperandrogenism (p<0.05). Also 19.9% of girls with hyperthyroidism and clinical androgenic oligomenorrhea were not significantly associated with patients who did not suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Menstruation disorder, especially oligomenorrhea is associated with polycystic ovary syndrome and this disorder at the age of menarche may cause ovulation disorders and complications resulting from increased estrogen and androgen abnormalities in following years.