WAR AMENORRHEA

Abstract

Soon after our arrival at the Santo Tomas Internment Camp in Manila, Philippines, on Jan. 4, 1942 a high incidence of amenorrhea was noticed. In the middle of June there were 3,134 internees, of whom 1,172 were women. All but 26 of the latter were American or British. Of the 1,172 there were 1,042 between the ages of 14 and 45 years. By April it was evident that the high incidence of amenorrhea had persisted and among the 1,042 women of menstrual age we were able to find 125 patients with amenorrhea which had developed since the outbreak of the war. Many complained of irregular menstrual periods, but only a few patients suffering from menorrhagia were seen. The menses returned in many instances after several months' absence. Another illustrative group was the army nurses who went through the campaigns of Bataan or Corregidor and were interned on July 2. Of