Menstrual cycle and its disorders in women with congenital heart disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the age at menarche, the prevalence of menstrual cycle (interval) disorders, and determinants in women with congenital heart disease (CHD).


METHODS
Using two CHD registries, 1802 (82%) of the 2196 women with CHD contacted (aged 18-58 years) provided written informed consent. After exclusion of patients with genetic disorders known to be associated with menstrual cycle disorders, 1593 eligible patients remained. Interviews by telephone and reviews of medical records were conducted.


RESULTS
Overall, the age at menarche was slightly increased in women with CHD (13.3 vs. 13.1 years in the general population), mainly attributable to an increased prevalence of primary amenorrhea (n = 147; 9.2%). Other menstrual cycle disorders were documented: secondary amenorrhea (n = 181, 11.4%), polymenorrhea (n = 103, 6.5%), oligomenorrhea (n = 90, 5.6%), and menorrhagia (n = 117, 6.5%). The occurrence of these disorders also depended on the presence of cyanotic heart disease, surgical status, the number of surgical interventions, and the severity of CHD.


CONCLUSIONS
Menstrual cycle disturbances, in particular primary amenorrhea, were frequently observed in this population. Patients with complex (cyanotic) heart disease needing repeated surgical interventions prior to menarche are especially at risk.
Drenthen
Willem
W
Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. w.drenthen@thorax.umcg.nl
Hoendermis
Elke S
ES
Moons
Philip
P
Heida
Karst Y
KY
Roos-Hesselink
Jolien W
JW
Mulder
Barbara J M
BJ
Van Dijk
Arie P J
AP
Vliegen
Hubert W
HW
Sollie
Krystyna M
KM
Berger
Rolf M F
RM
Lely
A Titia
AT
Canobbio
Mary M
MM
Pieper
Petronella G
PG
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012086:Reoperation