---
title: What are women's own views about premenstrual syndrome? | Niyora
description: Women see PMS as part of their menstrual cycle experience rather than a separate disease. Most do not find it severely debilitating and value having multiple
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-qualitative-investigation-of-women-s-perceptions-of-premenstrual-syndrome-1999/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- What are women's own views about premenstrual syndrome?

Randomised trial, 1999

# What are women's own views about premenstrual syndrome?

Women see PMS as part of their menstrual cycle experience rather than a separate disease. Most do not find it severely debilitating and value having multiple treatment options and support from other women.

 Early or limited evidence

13 women interviewed individually and 33 in group discussions, plus 5 health visitors in Northern Ireland.

## What they did

Semi-structured individual interviews with 13 women and group discussions with 33 women, plus feedback from 5 health visitors on the findings from Northern Ireland.

## What they found

Seven key themes emerged. Women view the menstrual cycle holistically. Only a small minority find PMS severely debilitating. They are ambivalent about menstruation, seeing it as both natural and unnatural in daily life. Talking with other women helps them compare experiences and get support. Women felt menstruation could be disempowering due to its uncontrollability, but a positive attitude and access to various remedies helped them cope.

## What it means for you

Women's own views of PMS differ from how doctors and medical textbooks describe it. Doctors should offer women a range of treatment choices and support groups rather than just standard medical approaches.

13

women interviewed individually

33

women in group discussions

7

themes identified

## About the study

Original title A qualitative investigation of women's perceptions of premenstrual syndrome: implications for general practitioners Authors Reilly J, Kremer J Journal The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners Year 1999 Study design Randomised trial Participants 33 What was tested Qualitative interviews and group discussions Open access Yes Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10885080/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10885080/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)[Diagnosis experience and healthcare access](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-healthcare-access/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Interview study, 2026

What prevents women from seeking doctor's help for PMS?

Study, 2026

What do women in Lahore know about PMDD and do they seek help for it?

Survey study, 2022

Do different healthcare providers differ in recognizing and treating PMDD?

Review, 2026

Do men experience premenstrual syndrome?

Interview study, 2026

What are women's experiences getting diagnosed with PMDD?

Survey study, 2025

How many women with menstrual cramps are diagnosed with dysmenorrhea?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗