Menstrual abnormalities and predisposition to pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE

Pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders (PRHDs) are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. This study investigated a possible association of PRHDs with menstrual abnormalities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We contacted all women with PRHDs who delivered in our clinic between 2004 and 2007 as well as a random control cohort without pregnancy complications and asked them about their menstrual cycle characteristics. Statistical analyses were performed using R, with significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

We collected data for 237 women with normal pregnancies and 255 women with PRHDs, among whom 143 had gestational hypertension and 70 had mild and 41 severe preeclampsia. By monovariate analysis, PRHDs correlated with dysmenorrhoea, hypermenorrhoea and menstrual irregularity (p < 0.05). By multivariate analysis, the occurrence of PRHDs was influenced by dysmenorrhoea and menstrual irregularity (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

PRHDs usually affect women with painful or irregular menstrual cycles, perhaps due to metabolic syndrome or molecular pathways involving vasoactive substances, with clear vascular implications.