BACKGROUND:
In France, the average time taken to diagnose endometriosis is seven years, with women suffering from diagnostic uncertainty and delayed treatment of their symptoms, even thoughearly dysmenorrhea is almost always found during questioning. This early onset pain seems to have been trivialized among most women.

OBJECTIVES:
We therefore conducted a study to assess the menstrual well-being of women aged 18 to 25, their knowledge of the abnormal nature of the symptoms present (dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, pelvic pain) and the link with their general well-being.

METHODS:
We conducted a descriptive, prospective survey using an online questionnaire distributed by universities that were randomly selected to participate in the study. The questionnaire included closed-ended questions and Likert scales to assess pain experienced during the cycle, as well as the WHO 5-point mental well-being score.

RESULTS:
A total of 2,058 women were included. Among women with dysmenorrhea, 63% rated their pain as debilitating (EVA score > 6/10 and 15% regular absenteeism). However, 67% of them considered this pain to be normal and less than half had ever consulted a doctor for this reason. Similarly, 47% of women surveyed who were sexually active reported dyspareunia, and more than half of them considered this pain to be normal. The presence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pain was significantly correlated with a lower mental well-being score (p <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:
This study shows a trivialization of painful symptoms related to the sexual and menstrual lives of young women aged 18 to 25 and raises the question of the representation of women's pain, which seems to be a cause of delay in the treatment of these patients.

KEY MESSAGE:
Menstrual and sexual well-being are significantly linked to mental well-being. Pain experienced by 18-25 year olds is trivialized and leads to delays in treatment. French - SRHR (including three-minute presentation competition)