In recent years interest has developed among both psychiatrists and gynecologists in investigating the relationship between psychiatric illness and phases of the mentrual cycle.
In a study of hospital admission records of acutely ill psychiatric patients, Dalton found that the highest incidence of admissions occurred during the first four days of menstruation, the second highest during the four premenstrual days, and the third highest during midcycle. Of 36 attempted suicides in this group of patients, 39 percent occurred during menstruation, 22 percent in the midcycle period and 14 percent premenstrually.
Mandell and Mandell, in a recent investigation of the relationship between the incidence of calls to a suicide prevention center and phases of menstrual cycle, reported finding similar to those of Dalton for psychiatric admission.
The highest incidence occurred during early menstruation, the second highest premenstrually, with a midcycle rise.
So the author surveyed menstrual cycle of 67 suicidal attempted entered to Han Gang Sacred Heart Hospital, Chung Ang University, College of medicine from Apr. 1976. to Sept. 1976. in order to determine the phase in which they attempted suicides. and explore the correlation of suicidal attempt and menstrual cycle.
The results are as follows:
1. The suicidal attempts by these 67 patient was found to occur most frequently during menstrual period (29.9%), followed qy premenstrual period
(19.4%) and the midcycle period (16.4%). 49.3 percent of the patient attempted suicide during menstrual & premenstual period.
2. The author, therefore, guessed that there was the relationship between the phases of the menstrual cycle & the suicidal attempts.
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