423 e-ISSN: 2980-4108 p-ISSN: 2980-4272 IJEBSS
IJEBSS Vol. 1 No. 05, June 2023, pages: 419-426
infertile. In this study, it was found that some female students had an abnormal menarche age, namely 53.5%, while
respondents who had a normal menarche age with irregular menstrual cycles, namely 63%. The results of the statistical
test obtained p-value = 0.277, meaning that there is no significant relationship between the age of menarche and the
menstrual cycle in female students at the end of the regular undergraduate program at FKM UI in 2022 (Bavil et al.,
2016). This is because the respondents are aged 20-23 years, indicating that reproductive hormones respondents have
been perfectly formed so that the menstrual cycle becomes regular, generally two years after experiencing menarche.
However, this research is not in line with the research of (Karout et al., 2012) in Lebanon which states that there is a
significant difference between menstrual cycle irregularities and the age of menarche. The age of menarche can affect
the menstrual cycle during the first 2 to 4 years after menarche because there is a significant increase in weight, height,
and body fat so late menarche can cause anovulation. Menarche age can be associated with decreased secretion of
luteinizing hormone (LH) and/or increased frequency of anovulation caused by obesity-related hyperandrogenemia
and hyperinsulinemia (Dossus et al., 2012).
Physical activity is body movement carried out by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure.
Inadequate physical activity can cause irregular menstrual cycles because excess fat cells in the body will disrupt the
balance of menstrual hormones (Brown, 2016). The results of research conducted on regular undergraduate students
at FKM UI in 2022 found that 59.6% of respondents had light physical activity and experienced irregular menstrual
cycles and 61.5% of respondents had heavy physical activity and experienced irregular menstrual cycles. Based on the
results of the statistical test analysis, it was found that p-value = 0.803, meaning that there is no significant relationship
between physical activity and menstrual cycle patterns in female students at the end of the regular undergraduate
program at FKM UI in 2022. This is in line with research conducted by (Herlina, 2020) which stated that there is no
significant relationship between physical activity and menstrual cycle patterns. Strenuous physical activity can affect
reproductive hormones in women. Strenuous physical activity can cause disturbances in GnRH secretion due to
hypothalamic dysfunction due to fatigue. When carrying out strenuous physical activity, the body will experience an
energy deficit (hypermetabolic) which will suppress the menstrual cycle, inhibit GnRH, and reduce LH pulsatility
which can affect the menstrual cycle (Wade, 2004). Meanwhile, inadequate or light physical activity can cause irregular
menstrual cycles because excess fat cells in the body will disrupt the balance of menstrual hormones (Brown, 2016).
Stress is an individual's inability to overcome problems faced by emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental,
and can affect physical health (Ramdani et al., 2017). In this study, stress levels were categorized into mild stress and
severe stress which were seen based on scores from completing the Perceived Stress Scale questionnaire developed by
Cohen (1983). Something that can cause stress is called a stressor. Stressors that affect stress levels in FKM UI regular
undergraduate final-year students are environmental factors such as where to live which makes respondents feel
stressed. This stressor is experienced by almost all FKM UI Regular undergraduate female students in 2022, namely
107 people (69.5%) (Chen et al., 2000). Furthermore, problems that become stressors for most female students are
mental and physical health problems including autoimmune diseases, stomach ulcers, allergies, and vertigo which are
also stressors for some final year students of the FKM UI Regular Undergraduate Program in 2022, namely 100 people
(64.9%). In this study, it can also be seen that the description of respondents who have high-stress levels with irregular
menstrual cycles is higher than respondents who have mild stress levels with irregular menstrual cycles. As many as
66.1% of respondents stated that they had high levels of stress with irregular menstrual cycles, and 46.7% of
respondents experienced mild levels of stress with irregular menstrual cycles. Statistical test results also showed that
there was a significant relationship between stress levels and menstrual cycle patterns (p-value 0.027).
Stress is one of the factors that can cause menstrual cycle irregularities. When women experience stress, their
menstrual cycles can be longer or shorter than their normal menstrual cycle. This is caused by the hormone cortisol
which is regulated in the brain and pituitary gland and causes hormonal imbalances, including one of which is
reproductive hormones which eventually cause menstrual cycle irregularities (Achmad, et al., 2021). Hormonal
imbalances including reproductive hormones cause menstrual cycle irregularities due to the cortisol hormone
stimulated by the HPA (hypothalamus pituitary adrenal cortex) axis due to stress ((Isnaeni, 2010); (Yudita et al., 2017).
Diet is the amount or amount of food consumed by a person or group that aims to meet their needs. Diet can
be influenced by several things such as pleasure habits, culture, religion, economy, environment, and so on (Herlina,
2020). In a study conducted on regular undergraduate students at FKM UI in 2022, it was found that there were more
respondents who had a poor diet compared to respondents who had a good diet. The results of a bivariate analysis
conducted on regular undergraduate students at FKM UI in 2022 showed that 62.9% of respondents had a poor diet
and irregular menstrual cycle patterns, and 27.3% had a good diet with irregular menstrual cycle patterns. Based on
the results of the statistical test analysis, it was obtained p-value = 0.031, meaning that there was a significant
relationship between diet and menstrual cycle patterns in female students at the end of the regular undergraduate