Womens Health Blog

Dysmenorrhoea is pain or painful cramps in the abdomen felt before or during menstruation. There are two types of dysmenorrhoea: (1) primary, when there is no abnormality in the reproductive organs; and (2) secondary, when dysmenorrhoea is a consequence of some diseases of the reproductive organs. Up to fifty per cent of young girls complain of primary dysmenorrhoea. The symptoms are usually more severe after about five years of the first menstruation.

What are the causes of dysmenorrhoea?

The exact cause of primary dysmenorrhoea is not known. Oestrogen, a hormone produced by the ovaries stimulates secretion of prostaglandin by the uterus. Prostaglandin is a chemical substance which is very similar to the hormones. It is secreted in very small quantities by various organs in the body and has wide range of significant effects on local organs. Increased secretion of prostaglandin results in increased contraction of the uterus which in turn results in dysmenorrhoea.

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