Survey study, 2011
Do menstrual symptoms make IBS worse in young Taiwanese women?
Yes, in this study. Digestive symptoms got worse during menstruation in young women with IBS, though this was only measured in one school in Taiwan.
What they did
Researchers gave questionnaires about digestive and menstrual symptoms to 971 female high school students in Taipei City, Taiwan.
What they found
Among young women with IBS, symptoms of bloating and stomach pain worsened from the week after their period to the week before to during their period. Stomach pain was the most bothersome symptom, followed by bloating. IBS was present in 16.2% of all the young women surveyed.
What it means for you
This shows that the link between the menstrual cycle and digestive symptoms also happens in young women in Taiwan, not just in Western countries. The study is limited to high school students in one city, so findings may not apply to all young Taiwanese women.
971
high school students surveyed
16.2%
had IBS
About the study
- Original title
- The association between the exacerbation of irritable bowel syndrome and menstrual symptoms in young Taiwanese women
- Authors
- Jane ZY, Chang CC, Lin HK et al.
- Journal
- Gastroenterology nursing : the official journal of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates
- Year
- 2011
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 971
- What was tested
- Observation of digestive symptoms during menstrual cycle
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/sga.0b013e3182248708
Topics
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