Which term denotes painful menstrual flow?

• A. Dysmenorrhea
• B. Amenorrhea
• C. Metrorrhagia
• D. Menorrhagia

Answer: (A)

Painful menstrual flow is described by the term dysmenorrhea. This label specifically refers to the cramps and discomfort often accompanying a period. It can occur without an underlying condition (primary dysmenorrhea) due to prostaglandin-driven uterine contractions, or it can stem from conditions like endometriosis or fibroids (secondary dysmenorrhea). Other terms refer to different menstrual issues: amenorrhea is the absence of periods, metrorrhagia is bleeding at irregular intervals between periods, and menorrhagia is unusually heavy bleeding during a period. So the term that denotes painful menstrual flow is dysmenorrhea.