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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Contraceptive pills seem to ease menstrual cramps for teens

Linda Searing The Washington Post

The question: When painful cramps accompany menstruation, most teenage girls simply suffer through it, often missing school or other activities as a result. Some try over-the-counter painkillers. Might low-dose oral contraceptives, prescribed by a doctor, offer significant relief?

This study randomly assigned 76 healthy teenage girls with moderate to severe dysmenorrhea, or painful menstrual periods, to take an oral contraceptive (ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel) or a placebo for 28 days each month. Participants also could take pain medication as needed. After three months, based on pain scales of 0 to 24 for which lower numbers indicate less pain, average scores had dropped from about 11 to 3 for the contraceptive group and from 12 to 6 for the placebo group. The worst pains were less severe among the girls who took contraceptives, and they also used fewer additional pain pills. About 61 percent of the contraceptive group (vs. 36 percent of the placebo group) used no pain medication.

Who may be affected by these findings? Teenage girls. Most young women have painful periods, with severe pain affecting about 15 percent of them.

Caveats: The study involved a small number of girls for a short period of time, and the findings were based on the girls’ ratings of pain. It did not assess the effect of the pain reductions on school attendance and participation in activities. The girls received a small payment for participating.

Find this study: July issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology; abstract available online at www.greenjournal.org.

Learn more about dysmenorrhea in teenagers at www.kidshealth.org and www.familydoctor.org.

The research described in Quick Study comes from credible, peer-reviewed journals. Nonetheless, conclusive evidence about a treatment’s effectiveness is rarely found in a single study. Anyone considering changing or beginning treatment of any kind should consult with a physician.