Sociodemographic profile of perimenopausal women having menstrual disturbances

Objective: To evaluate various sociodemographic factors associated with menstrual disturbances in perimenopausal women. Methods: A total of 100 perimenopausal patients were studied for symptoms of menstrual disturbances at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Mamatha Medical College, Khammam. Socioeconomic strata were determined using modified Kuppuswamy scale. Results: Out of 100 cases studied, maximum cases (70%) were from rural area. Age group most commonly involved was 40-45 years (66%). 91% of cases were from low socioeconomic strata. Uterus was found to be bulky in 48% of cases, followed by 45% of cases who had normal uterus. Majority of cases of benign, premalignant and malignant lesions were from rural population. Conclusion: Significant association could be obtained between perimenopausal bleeding and socioeconomic status, age of menopause and awareness among patients. Menstrual disturbances and irregularities occurring at perimenopausal age is alarming and needs thorough evaluation, as it could be the only clinical manifestation of endometrial cancer, as was noticed in this study. Keywords: Perimenopausal women, Menstrual irregularities, Age group, Economic status