Menstrual Suppression Using Oral Contraceptives by Female Hajj Pilgrims

Introduction: The pilgrimage to Ka’beh (God’s house in Mecca) is a special opportunity in the life of most Muslims. Female pilgrims try to postpone menstruation during the pilgrimage by taking hormonal medicines. However, women are seen in this disorder. This paper aimed to determine the frequency of menstrual disorders and related factors among female pilgrims of Umrah Mufradah in ۲۰۱۲.Methods: This study was a descriptive type, the population of which comprised ۴۰۰ female Iranian pilgrims aged ۱۵-۵۰ years who were selected through random cluster sampling from Umrah caravans. Data was collected with a questionnaire developed by the researchers that contained questions about menstrual disorders. The questionnaire was distributed among participants at their hotels three days prior to their return to Iran.Results: Among all the participants, ۹۸.۷% of them reported taking pills to suppress menstruation. Of this group, ۷۴.۷% successfully prevented menstruation, ۲۶% reported spotting, and ۱۱.۶% reported menstruation. There was no significant difference between consumption of medicine and factors such as marital status, city, and educational background of the individuals. Participants reported that spotting and menstruation caused them to experience stress and anxiety when performing Umrah rituals.Conclusion: Experiencing menstrual disorders during pilgrimage can be stressful for pilgrims. To reduce such problems, counseling sessions on menstruation postponement as part of the justification classes before departing for Hajj and compiling an equal and coordinated nationwide protocol seem necessary.

کلیدواژه ها:

Menstrual ، Oral contraceptives ، Hajj pilgrims