Over 83 per cent of Indian women experience painful periods: Study

A recent study by Gynovedacom one of Indias Period Health Study included responses from over 3 lakh women across the country in the age bracket of 18 to 45 years who were categorised into 3 groups based on prevalence severity and bodily changesThe first group included women with Menstrual Disorders which constituted a staggering 70 per cent of total respondents The second group noted women with Vaginal Disorders 26 per cent who had challenges concerning their vaginal wellbeing which encompassed discomfort infections or irregularities affecting their overall vaginal health and quality of life The third group included a total of 4 per cent of the respondents who face no disordersThe Pan India survey highlights findings based on age and incidence of PCOS its prevalence other disorders including irregular periods pain severity during periods and the observed bodily changes faced among the respondentsDeep Diving into the key findings from the reportAge group and incidences of PCOSPolycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS isnt bound by age mdash its a disorder that affects women across their journey As per the survey 60 per cent of women in the age group of 25 to 34 have PCOS What came out very glaringly was that 51 per cent of women in less than 24 yrs age group have PCOS However what makes this more worrisome is the fact that PCOS affects womenrsquos fertility to a great extent As per detailed research by the National Institute of Health Government of India the prevalence of infertility in women with PCOS varies between 70 per cent and 80 per centPrevalence of PCOS and other hormonal disordersPCOS is not the only gynaecological disorder wreaking havoc on the women of our country the data suggests that whilst 54 per cent of women suffered from PCOS the second leading menstrual disorder is PID affecting 17 per cent of the female population Furthermore 9 per cent suffered from candidiasis 5 per cent from fibroid amp 1per cent from endometrial hyperplasiaIrregularity and pain severity during periodsWhen surveyed regarding pain during the menstrual cycle over 83 per cent of Indian women have periods that are painful which compels them to consume painkillers every month 58 per cent complained about mild and bearable pain 25 per cent complained about severe pain and only 17 per cent reported no pain during the course of their periodsIrregular periods with scanty flow were experienced by 76 per cent of women Nearly half of women resort to using fewer than 5 pads throughout their entire period cycle whereas a healthy menstrual flow requires the use of a minimum of 10 to 12 pads per cycleMajor body changes faced by women with PCOSWhile dealing with PCOS women also go through major body issues Excessive weight gain was observed in 60 per cent of women closely followed by facial hair growth Hirsutism noted in 59 per cent of women Skin issues like acne were observed in 55per cent of the women whereas pigmentation and other hormonal skin issues were seen in 51 per cent of respondents Due to certain defined health and beauty standards in society these issues become a cause of mental and emotional distress in themRachana Gupta Cofounder at Gynoveda who led the research opines ldquoThe strategically designed period test complemented by the insights from doctors customers and respondents ensures accuracy and efficacy By utilising the insights from this test and combining with Ayurvedic formulations and doctor support Gynoveda has remarkably impacted over 200000 lives in just 3 years since its inception and aims to continue the exceptional community workrdquoDr Aarati Patil Chief Ayurveda Gynecologist at Gynoveda shares that ldquoAyurveda considers PCOS as Kapha disorder Faulty diet and lifestyle habits like lack of exercise day sleeping including more sugar fast food junk food and packaged food in the diet lead to excessive Kapha production Excessive kapha affects digestion and poor digestion gives rise to AMA which can be considered as sticky toxins that block the channels in the ovary These blockages affect the egg growth and that is how PCOS pathology starts as per Ayurvedardquo