Factors influencing the regularity of the menstrual cycle in Polish university female students

Introduction: The regularity of the menstrual cycle is one of the key indicators of procreation health. The frequency of menstruation disorders in young women, including students, may result from various socio-demographic and lifestyle-related factors. The aim of the study was to examine whether the regularity of Polish female students’ menstrual cycles depended on selected socio-demographic variables and their lifestyle. Material and method: The study involved 490 Polish female university students over the age of 18, representing various fields of study. The study was carried out in the form of an anonymous online questionnaire from November 2022 to March 2023. A diagnostic survey method was used, employing a bespoke questionnaire. Socio-demographic data, lifestyle (for example, sleep, physical activity, stress, drugs), characteristics of the menstrual cycle and the occurrence of accompanying symptoms were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed (chi-square test, p < 0.05). Results: 30% of participants reported irregular menstrual cycles. Among the analysed variables, only the year of studies (p = 0.024), smoking (p = 0.006) and eating breakfast every day (p = 0.014) showed a statistically significant relationship with the cycle regularity. Students in higher years of their studies, non-smokers and those who ate breakfast every day were more likely to report regular menstruation. Conclusions: Nearly one in three students had irregular menstruation cycles, which may indicate actual and potential health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to identify factors related to irregular menstruation to determine appropriate preventive and remedial strategies. Irregular menstrual cycles were significantly more common among respondents who were in their first years of studies. The rest analysed socio-demographic variables did not differentiate the group of study participants. Smoking tobacco and skipping breakfast were strongly associated with irregular menstruation, which highlights the importance of modifiable lifestyle factors in the prevention and promotion of procreation health.