Stomach cramps or cramping abdominal pain can be due to a vast number of causes, some easily manageable while others may be life threatening, requiring immediate medical attention. Often stomach cramps are mistaken for menstrual cramps in women and vice versa. This can hamper the diagnosis of other conditions responsible for the pain and cramping or even cause women to prevent seeking medical attention by attributing their abdominal cramps to menstrual pain.

The oral contraceptive, often referred to as ‘the pill’, is still among the most popular method of preventing an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. While other forms of contraception, like the contraceptive injection, are widely used, especially after having a child and in developing countries due to the cost, an oral contraceptive is the method of choice for many teens and young women.

Many young women, prior to their first pregnancy, suffer with severe constipation and anemia, which are often seen as unrelated symptoms. The anemia or low blood iron stems from the loss of blood due to menses while constipation is a gastrointestinal (gut) disorder resulting in difficulty in passing out feces (stool). However evidence suggests that both anemia and constipation may be linked to a common hormonal cause that plagues many menstruating women.