Prostaglandins in menstrual fluid in menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea

Abstract

Summary.: Menstrual fluid was collected in vaginal cups inserted for 2 h during the first 2 days of menstruation and menstrual serum concentrations of prostaglandins PGF 2α and PGE 2 were measured by radio‐immunoassay. In 16 women from whom menstrual fluid was collected on both days, PGF 2α and PGE 2 concentrations were significantly higher on day 1 than on day 2. The highest concentrations of PGF 2α and PGE 2 were found in dysmenorrhoeic women on day 1. In non‐dysmenorrhoeic women, the amount of PGF 2α and PGE 2 collected in 2 h correlated directly with total menstrual blood loss. There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of prostaglandins collected in 2 h in pain‐free menorrhagic women and dysmenorrhoeic women with normal loss. There was also no significant 9‐ketoreductase or 9‐hydroxydehydro‐genase activity present in menstrual fluid which could suggest PGE 2 to PGF 2α interconversion.