Abstract

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common yet overlooked gynecological problem affecting young women. Its effects on the quality of life are often normalized despite its adverse impact on academic performance, concentration, and physical comfort. Medical students, due to their demanding schedules, academic overload, and high stress levels, are a particularly vulnerable population. However, data and evidence regarding Primary Dysmenorrhea from the South Asian region, especially Pakistan, are still scarce. This study investigates the prevalence, risk factors, coping strategies, and academic impact of Primary Dysmenorrhea among Female Medical Students in Punjab.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 female students from multiple medical colleges in Punjab from March 2025 to August 2025, using non-probability convenience sampling. Data was collected through a structured self-administered online questionnaire which assessed menstrual characteristics, dysmenorrhea characteristics, academic impact, risk factors, coping strategies, WaLIDD score, and pain severity by using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests were performed, and a multiple linear regression model was used to determine predictors of academic performance. p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: 94.1% of the study participants reported dysmenorrhea. 30.7% of these students reported mild pain, 33.7% moderate pain, and 35.6% severe pain. Family history and sleep duration were significantly associated with the severity of pain. Dysmenorrhea was found to be strongly associated with academic performance impairment. Regression analysis determined pain severity to be the only significant predictor of poor academic performance. Analgesics (36.1%) and bed rest (32.2%) seemed to be the most common coping strategies among students. 87.1% of the participants also reported self-medication for symptomatic relief.
Conclusion: Primary dysmenorrhea was found to be a widespread issue among female medical students in Punjab, significantly associated with family history, sleep duration, and academic performance impairment. Despite its high prevalence, most students utilize inadequate coping methods. This highlights the need for increased awareness, medical support, and supportive institute policies to help students effectively manage dysmenorrhea and mitigate its effect on academic performance.

Key words: Dysmenorrhea, Menstruation Disturbances, Menstrual Pain, Academic Performance, Coping Skills, Pain Measurement, Medical Students