---
title: Does the menstrual cycle affect asthma, and is it related to stress?
description: The study suggests asthma may worsen around menstruation when stress resistance is low, but the evidence is unclear and limited.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/asthma-and-menstruation-the-relationship-between-psychological-and-bronchial-1998/
---

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- Does the menstrual cycle affect asthma, and is it related to stress?

Survey study, 1998

# Does the menstrual cycle affect asthma, and is it related to stress?

The study suggests asthma may worsen around menstruation when stress resistance is low, but the evidence is unclear and limited.

 Early or limited evidence

10 women outpatients with moderate asthma

## What they did

They followed 10 women with moderate asthma for six months, tracking their physical and psychological health, stress levels, and reactions to life events through weekly sessions and questionnaires.

## What they found

The study suggests that lower ability to handle stress and lower resistance to infections may be connected to asthma worsening around menstruation.

## What it means for you

This very small study hints that stress and immune function might affect menstrual-related asthma. However, the sample is tiny (only 10 women), findings are not clearly described, and the method is unusual. More research is needed.

10

Number of women

6 months

Follow-up duration

## About the study

Original title Asthma and menstruation: the relationship between psychological and bronchial hyperreactivity Authors Mirdal GM, Petersson B, Weeke B et al. Journal The British journal of medical psychology Year 1998 Study design Survey study Participants 10 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1998.tb01366.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1998.tb01366.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Psychotherapy, counselling and education](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-psychotherapy/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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

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