Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

    Background: Dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation is seen in about 50% of women in reproductive age. It is the most common gynecologic complaint of young women and is one of the most common causes of sick leave therefore finding a safe treatment for its control, has long been a concern. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effect of vitamin E on the reduction of pelvic pain in women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea and to compare its effect with placebo.

  Methods: A double blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 140 women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. These women were randomly assigned into two groups and finally 94 women finished the study. In the case group (n= 42) Vitamin E was prescribed as a dose of 400 IU daily starting 2 days before the beginning of menstruation and continuing for 3 days (total duration of 5 days), for two consecutive cycles. In the control group (n=52) a placebo was prescribed which was completely similar to Vitamin E pearls in shape, color, taste and smell. Pain severity was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for one month before the study and during the 2 months of study. The pain severity during these cycles was then compared using SPSS V.15, t-test, Chi square and pair t-tests were used for analysis.

  Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups according to blood group, age, family history of dysmenorrhea, educational status, and BMI (body mass index). The mean pain severity before the study did not show any significant difference between the two groups (7.15± 1.75 in the case group and 7.47±1.82 in the control group, p=0.3). Pain severity one month (p=0.001) and two months (p=0.001) after treatment with placebo showed significant reduction as compared to that of " before treatment". Similarly pain severity one month (p=0.001) and two months (p=0.001) after treatment with Vitamin E showed significant reduction as compared to that of " before treatment" thus both conditions led to a decrease in dysmenorrhea. Pain severity during the first month of the study was 5.41 ±2.4 in the case group and 5.76±2.08 in the control group (p=0.1) and 4.73±1.89 and 5.35±2.05 in the case and control groups, respectively during the second month of the study (p=0.6), not showing significant difference.

  The mean reduction of pain in the case group (-2.7±2.1) was more than the control group (-1.8±2.4), during the second month of the study (p=0.04), showing significant difference. Therefore Vitamin E can lower the pain severity of dysmenorrhea more than placebo.

  Conclusion : Vitamin E and placebo both may reduce the pelvic pain of dysmenorrhea, but vitamin E can cause a more significant reduction. With regard to its safety, the study indicates that it can be a simple and safe option for the treatment of dysmenorrhea.