Menstruation: choosing whether ... and when

For many women in the United States, menstruation is a major health concern because menstrual disorders and other conditions that may be aggravated du ring menses (e.g., migraine headaches, epilepsy) carry substantial morbidit y. Women today menstruate nearly 3 times as often as in primitive societies , and evidence suggests that frequent, repetitive menstrual cycles may incr ease health risks. Because the conventional 21/7 combination oral contracep tive (OC) regimen provides only limited relief for women with menstrual dis orders, alternative OC regimens that reduce menstrual frequency have been p roposed. A new OC formulation specifically designed to decrease menstrual b leeding to 4 times per year is currently under investigation. Most women we lcome less frequent menses or even amenorrhea. Women who may derive particu lar benefit from reduced menstrual frequency include not only those with me dical conditions directly caused or aggravated by menses, but also those se rving in the military, female athletes, mentally retarded women with menstr ual hygiene problems, young teens, and perimenopausal women. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science Inc. All rights reserved.