Primary dysmenorrhoea: the importance of both prostaglandins E2 and F2α

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Abstract
Summary. Menstrual fluid was collected in a contraceptive diaphragm from 16 women with primary dysmenorrhoea and 12 matched control subjects without dysmenorrhoea. Prostaglandins F2α (PGF2α), E2 (PGE2) and 6-oxo-prostaglandin F1α (6-oxo-PGFlα) were extracted and measured using gas-chromatography: mass spectrometry (GC:MS). The concentrations of both PGF2α and PGE2 were higher on days 1 and 2 in the dysmenorrhoea group than in the control group and the concentration of PGF2α was higher on day 1 than on day 2 in the dysmenorrhoea group. The concentrations of 6-oxo-PGF1α (the stable metabolite of PGI2) were low in both groups. These results confirm suggestions that PGF2α is important in the aetiology of dysmenorrhoea and also indicate that PGE2 may be involved.