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Rotating shift work is associated with higher odds of irregular menstrual cycles and dysmenorrhea among female nurses

A cross-sectional study of 3,544 female nurses in China found that a history of rotating shift work was associated with higher odds of irregular menstrual cycles (OR=1.31, 95% CI: 1.03-1.65) and dysmenorrhea (OR=1.71, 95% CI: 1.42-2.06). Long-term cumulative exposure (≥12 years) to rotating shift work and night shifts was linked to elevated likelihood of menorrhagia.

Last updated: Jul 28, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Associations between shift work, sleep quality and menstrual disorders among nurses: a cross-sectional analysis study.

observational

Tang Y, Zhang M, Xu W, Deng Y, Hu F, Liu S, Ju W, Jia Y, Wang Y, Bao S, Niu Y, Wu X, Tao F, Chen Q, Dai Y, Jiang M · BMC nursing (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: N/A
Intervention: Rotating shift work exposure (history, cumulative years, frequency of evening/night shifts over past year)
Outcome: Menstrual disorders (irregular menstrual cycles, dysmenorrhea, hypomenorrhea, menorrhagia)
Effect Size: OR=1.31 (95% CI: 1.03-1.65) for irregular cycles; OR=1.71 (95% CI: 1.42-2.06) for dysmenorrhea
Population: 3,544 female nurses from six hospitals in Anhui Province, China

Result:

PubMed: 42464275DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05060-6

Mechanism Graph

Shift work disrupts circadian rhythms
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Circadian disruption impairs sleep quality
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Poor sleep quality alters hormonal regulation
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Result: Increased odds of menstrual disorders

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • ⚠Self-reported data on shift work, sleep, and menstrual health may introduce recall bias
  • ⚠Mediation analysis for hypomenorrhea and menorrhagia showed inconsistent mediation patterns with non-significant total effects

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of shift work was most strongly associated with menstrual disorders?▼

Rotating shift work and long-term cumulative exposure (≥12 years) to night shifts were most strongly associated, with night shifts linked to a 2.40-fold higher odds of menorrhagia.

Did sleep quality mediate the relationship between shift work and menstrual disorders?▼

Yes, sleep quality had a significant indirect effect on the association between shift work and irregular menstrual cycles, accounting for about 7.36% of the total effect. No significant mediation was found for dysmenorrhea.

What were the specific sleep quality measures associated with menstrual disorders?▼

Poor sleep quality, short sleep duration (<6 hours), prolonged sleep onset latency (>30 minutes), and specific sleep patterns identified by latent class analysis were associated with higher odds of menstrual disorders.

How large was the study sample?▼

The study included 3,544 female nurses from six hospitals in Anhui Province, China.

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References

  1. 1.Tang Y, Zhang M, Xu W, Deng Y, Hu F, Liu S, Ju W, Jia Y, Wang Y, Bao S, Niu Y, Wu X, Tao F, Chen Q, Dai Y, Jiang M. "Associations between shift work, sleep quality and menstrual disorders among nurses: a cross-sectional analysis study.." BMC nursing, 2026. PMID: 42464275 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05060-6
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