Menstrual Characteristics and Premenstrual Syndrome in Adolescent Competitive Female Athletes – An Observational Study

Background: When a female imposes dietary restrictions or engages in physical activity beyond their body’s ability for adaptation, it can cause a significant disruption to their menstrual cycle. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition marked by psychological and physical symptoms that appear during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, before the commencement of menses. Aim: This study aims to find the prevalence of menstrual characteristics and PMS in adolescent competitive female athletes. Materials and Methods: The present observational study included 147 adolescent competitive female athletes in the age group of 13–17 years participating in different sports and residing in Belagavi district, Karnataka, India. The menstrual characteristics and PMS were assessed using Moos’s Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ). Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics were used to find the prevalence of PMS, and Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess the correlation between MDQ and athletic variables. Results: Out of the total sample size, 24 (16.33%) female athletes were shown to have PMS. Among the athletes who played football, the prevalence of PMS was 16.96%,; among the sprinters, it was 12.12%; the prevalence of PMS in badminton athletes was found to be 18.8%; in volleyball, athletes PMS was found to be 15.79%, whereas in cricket players, the prevalence of PMS was 16.67%; and in karate players, 25% of them showed the prevalence of PMS. Conclusion: In conclusion, the present study reports a decrease in the prevalence of PMS.