Premenstrual Symptoms and Cycle Regularity: A Cross-sectional Study among Iraqi University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Evidence suggests that the stressor factors faced by women of childbearing age during the COVID-19 pandemic are related to changes in menstrual cycles. The present study was conducted to explore the premenstrual symptoms (PMS), menstrual regularity, and their negative impact on academic performance and interpersonal relationships among Iraqi female university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1270 Iraqi university students in Baghdad, Iraq. An online questionnaire was created to collect data about the menstrual cycle, PMS, and academic performance during the COVID 19 pandemic. The majority of the participants (76.6%) reported PMS. Depressed mood (69.6%) and flatulence (56.1%) were the most commonly reported PMS. The majority of participants (36.9%) suffered from moderate PMS. Moreover, (26.3%) and (18.3%) of the respondents reported worsening PMS and exacerbating menstrual pain, respectively. Among the respondents, (8.5%) reported a change in menstrual cycle length, and (50%) mentioned the lack of concentration. The study found that PMS was significantly (P< 0.005) associated with the students’ age, age of menarche, and dysmenorrhea. Furthermore, PMS was highly significantly (P< 0.001) associated with poor academic performance, poor interpersonal relationships, and COVID-19 infection. The findings of the present study reveal that during the COVID-19 pandemic, PMS was significantly increased in Iraqi university students and was associated with poorer academic performance and interpersonal relationships.