--- title: Is emotional PMS connected to postpartum depression risk? | Niyora description: Yes. Women with three or more emotional PMS symptoms had 3.78 times the risk of developing postpartum depression compared to other women. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/association-between-emotional-symptoms-of-premenstrual-syndrome-and-the-risk-of-2013/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is emotional PMS connected to postpartum depression risk? Survey study, 2013 # Is emotional PMS connected to postpartum depression risk? Yes. Women with three or more emotional PMS symptoms had 3.78 times the risk of developing postpartum depression compared to other women. Early or limited evidence 94 women in immediate postpartum period from a Brazilian maternity hospital ## What they did 94 women who had just given birth at a Brazilian maternity hospital completed questionnaires about their emotional symptoms before their period and their risk of postpartum depression. ## What they found Women who reported three or more emotional symptoms before their period had 3.78 times the postpartum depression risk of other women. The two conditions may share similar hormonal causes. ## What it means for you Emotional symptoms of PMS may be linked to a higher risk of depression after birth, possibly through similar changes in brain chemicals. However, this was a small study from one hospital over one year, so results may not apply to all women. The study shows a connection but cannot prove that PMS causes postpartum depression. 94 women in the study 3.78 times higher postpartum depression risk with emotional PMS 3 or more emotional symptoms indicating higher risk ## About the study Original title Association between emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and the risk of developing depressive symptoms in the postpartum period Authors Elza Alves de Morais, Flavia Casasanta Marini, Antônio Carlos Vieira Cabral Journal Revista Médica de Minas Gerais Year 2013 Study design Survey study Participants 94 What was tested Emotional PMS symptoms and postpartum depression risk Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5935/2238-3182.20130043](https://doi.org/10.5935/2238-3182.20130043) Original abstract This study verified a possible association between emotional status in the pre-menstrual period (emotional PMS) and the risk of postnatal depression. Were included 94 women in the immediate postpartum period at the Maternity Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Hospital das Clinicas from July 2011 to August 2012. Questionnaires were used to assess pre-menstrual symptoms and to determine the Edinburgh Scale for the risk of developing postnatal depression. Reports of three or more emotional symptoms in the premenstrual period and a score of 12 or more in the Edinburgh Scale were correlated using chi-square test, with a p<0.05 considered for relevance. The Relative Risk (RR) for an association between emotional PMS and a higher risk of postnatal depression was calculated and considered significant. Emotional changes were associated to a 3.78 RR of emotional PMS and increased risk to develop postnatal depression. It is possible that both situations have pathophysiologic similarities in the release of neurotransmitters particularly affected by hormonal changes that happen in both the moments. A well-defined emotional PMS predisposes to increased risk of puerperal depression. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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 Cohort study, 2026 Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2026 Do premenstrual disorder and postpartum depression share the same genetic causes? Cohort study, 2025 Is there a link between premenstrual disorders and autoimmune disease? Cohort study, 2025 Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth? Case-control study, 2024 Do steroid hormone levels change differently across the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗