Dysmenorrhea affecting labor and delivery?

Is it true that if you have really bad cramps that your labor and delivery will be just as bad when you have kids?

I'm not sure what you mean by "just as bad." While it's true that menstrual cramps are caused by uterine contraction, the difference between menstruation and childbirth is monumental--there simply is no comparison. So if you are asking whether your labor will be "just as bad" as your dysmenorrhea, well---it'll be lots more intense.

The good thing is that you get a nifty prize at the end of labor! Oh, and there are lots of ways to reduce labor pain that simply are not available for menstrual pain. (How heavenly would an epidural be *then*?!)

But if you are asking whether, as someone who experiences greater-than-"normal" menstrual pain, you can expect a more difficult labor and delivery than "normal"---the short answer is no. Unless there is a structural cause for your menstrual discomfort, there's no reason to expect greater-than-"normal" labor discomfort.

("Normal" is in quotation marks because, well---everyone perceives pain differently, and it's very hard to define "normal.")

I had bad cramping and a heavy menstrual cycle from menarche.(age 12) I had an epidural for both of my deliveries, but I am such a wimp when it comes to pain, I never even considered not having one. I have found that thing eased up in my cycle after the second child. My cramps are more tolerable and the flow is not as heavy.