Menstrual changes after spinal cord injury

Abstract

Study design: This was a single-centre, prospective, descriptive, hospital-based study in females with spinal cord injuries (SCI).

Objectives: To study menstrual changes after SCI.

Setting: The in-patient and out-patient services of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of a tertiary care institute in India between October 2018 and October 2020.

Methods: SCI females who were included in the study answered a questionnaire regarding amenorrhea after injury, menstrual cycle regularity, frequency, duration, flow, dysmenorrhoea and presence of autonomic dysreflexia during menstruation. All the study related data was analysed using SPSS version 24. A p value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Results: 40 females were included. 31 (77.5%) had amenorrhea. The mean duration of return of menstruation was 2.65 months. There was significant reduction in the duration of menstrual flow (p value < 0.001), amount of flow (p value = 0.041) and dysmenorrhea (p value < 0.001) after SCI.

Conclusions: Amenorrhea was seen in 77.5% females. Most of them resumed their menstrual cycle. The menstruation duration and flow were reduced significantly. There is a need to address concerns and reassure females regarding resumption of menstruation after SCI.