Dispositional resilience as a moderator of the relationship between chronic stress and irregular menstrual cycle

Abstract

Purpose: Menstrual-cycle irregularity may have an important influence on the subsequent development of chronic diseases. Several risk factors for irregular menstrual cycles have been detected, including stress. Our aim was to extend research on the link between chronic stress and menstrual-cycle irregularity and to assess potential protective factors, such as dispositional resilience, which we hypothesize to be associated with the maintenance or promotion of a healthy menstrual cycle.

Methods: For this cross-sectional study, data on 696 healthy women aged 20–40 years were obtained. The women completed measures of chronic stress, dispositional resilience and menstrual-cycle irregularity. Furthermore, potential confounds were assessed.

Results: Of the participants, 383 (55%) reported no current use of hormonal contraceptives; 313 (45%) reported current use hormonal contraception and were included as a control group. The results suggest that in women not using hormonal contraception, chronic stress (OR = 1.05, 95%CI = 1.02–1.08, p = 0.001) and dispositional resilience (OR = 0.43, 95%CI = 0.31–0.59, p < 0.001) have a main effect on menstrual cycle regularity. In addition, women with greater dispositional resilience have reduced risk for irregular menstrual cycles in the face of low to moderate chronic stress; however, this association is changed at the highest level of chronic stress.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that dispositional resilience may be a protective psychological trait that modulates reproductive functioning.

• Chronic stress
• irregular menstrual cycle
• menstrual cycle
• resilience

Current knowledge on this subject

• Stress exerts an inhibitory effect on the menstrual cycle, which might result in irregular menstrual cycles.

• Resilience as a personality trait has been associated with less psychological distress, fewer psychiatric symptoms, lower subjective body complaints and a better physical well-being.

• Little is known about potential protective factors, such as resilience, that might have a beneficial effect on the reproductive system and the menstrual cycle or might attenuate the effect of stress on the menstrual cycle.

What this study adds

• Of particular interest is the finding that dispositional resilience is associated with regular menstrual cycles and may be a potential protective factor in the face of stress.

• Our findings seem to increase the understanding of potential protective factors or resources associated with reproductive health