Information | Clinical significance |
Menstrual history | |
Age at menarche | Regular menses (2 to 7 days of bleeding at intervals of 21 to 45 days) suggest ovulatory cycles. |
Duration of menstrual cycles | |
Interval between menstrual periods* | |
Date of last 2 menstrual periods | |
Symptom history | |
Initial onset of symptoms and progression over time |
|
Relation of symptoms to periods | Symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea typically begin several hours prior to the onset of menstruation and continue for 1 to 3 days. |
Presence or absence of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, or headache during menstruation | These systemic symptoms are consistent with severe dysmenorrhea. |
Impact of symptoms on daily activities such as school attendance, sports participation, and other activities | Clear inhibition of activities suggests severe dysmenorrhea or other pathology. |
Medication use and perceived effects¶ | Lack of relief from analgesics suggests severe dysmenorrhea or other pathology. |
Sexual history | |
Current sexual activity and type of contraception | For sexually active females, hormonal contraceptives are a reasonable first-line choice for treatment of dysmenorrhea. |
History of sexually transmitted diseases and history of pelvic inflammatory disease | Known or suspected pelvic inflammatory disease may be associated with secondary dysmenorrhea. |
* The interval between menstrual periods is measured from the first day of 1 period to the first day of the next period.
¶ Medication type, dose, and timing in relation to the onset of cramps; perceived effectiveness for pain relief and ability to engage in all daily activities.Do you want to add Medilib to your home screen?