Cohort study, 1986
Is PMS mainly about symptoms worsening before your period, or is there more?
Women with PMS have higher depression, anxiety, and tension even in the early part of their cycle. Some symptoms do worsen premenstrually, but baseline mood appears to be the bigger issue.
What they did
31 women with PMS and 12 comparison women without PMS tracked their symptoms across the menstrual cycle. Researchers compared baseline symptoms and premenstrual changes between groups.
What they found
In the late follicular phase, women with PMS had significantly higher depression, anxiety, tension, and irritability than comparison women. Some premenstrual increases were larger in the PMS group, but not for anxiety, irritability, tension, or breast tenderness.
What it means for you
Women with PMS may need year-round treatment for mood, not just premenstrual symptom relief. The study was small and did not test specific treatments.
31
Women with PMS
12
Comparison women
About the study
- Original title
- A prospective comparison study of premenstrual symptoms
- Authors
- Hart WG, Russell JW
- Journal
- The Medical journal of Australia
- Year
- 1986
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 31
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1986.tb101051.x
Topics
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