Evaluation of the Effect of Vitamin E for Pelvic Pain Reduction in Primary Dysmenorrhea

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

4 Resident of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation is seen in about 50% of women in reproductive age which is the most common gynecologic complaint of young women and is one of the most common causes of absence from school or work. Therefore, finding a treatment without side-effects for its control has always been a concern.
The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of vitamin E on the reduction of pelvic pain in women suffering of primary dysmenorrhea.
Methods: This double blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 94 women suffering of primary dysmenorrhea. The women were randomly assigned into two groups. For case group (n=42), vitamin E was prescribed as a dose of 400 IU daily starting 2 days before the beginning of menstruation and continuing for 3 days (total duration of 5 days), for two consecutive cycles. For control group (n=52), a Placebo was prescribed which was completely similar to vitamin E pearls in shape, color, taste and smell. Pain severity was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for one month before the study and during 2 months of the study. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 15 and using T-test, Chi-square and pair t test.
 
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of blood group, age, family history of dysmenorrhea, educational status, and Body Mass Index. The mean pain severity before treatment was not significantly different between two groups (7.15± 1.75 in case group and 7.47±1.82 in control group, p=0.3). Pain severity during the first (p=0.001) and second (p=0.001) months of treatment with vitamin E and placebo was lower than the pain severity before treatment. Pain severity after the first month of treatment with vitamin E was 5.41 ±2.4 and with placebo was 5.76±2.08 (p=0.1) and after the second month of the study was 4.73±1.89 in case group and 5.35±2.05 in control group (p=0.6). The mean reduction of pain during the second month of the study in the case group was (-2.7±2.1) and in control group (-1.8±2.4), the difference was statistically significant (p=0.04).
 
Conclusion: Both vitamin E and placebo reduced the pelvic pain of dysmenorrhea, but vitamin E caused more significant reduction that regarding to its safety, can be a simple treatment of dysmenorrhea without side-effects.

Keywords

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