Survey study, 1996
Is there a link between the menstrual cycle and suicide attempts?
The study found a possible difference in suicide attempts during pre-ovulation, but this finding was unreliable. Both groups visited hospitals more during pre-ovulation, suggesting the pattern may reflect hospital visiting patterns rather than a real link to suicide attempts.
What they did
Researchers compared women aged 15 to 49 who came to the emergency department after a suicide attempt to similar women who came for other medical reasons. They recorded information about their menstrual cycles and distributed both groups across a standard 28-day cycle.
What they found
There was a difference between women with suicide attempts and comparison women for the pre-ovulatory period. However, this difference did not hold up when examined more carefully. Both groups showed an increase in hospital visits during the pre-ovulatory period.
What it means for you
The connection between cycle phase and suicide attempts is uncertain. Both groups visited hospitals more during pre-ovulation, suggesting this may reflect hospital visiting patterns rather than a true link to suicide. Limitations include no sample size reported, unreliable findings, and uncertainty about cycle timing accuracy.
15-49
age range of women studied
28 days
standard cycle length used for analysis
Pre-ovulatory
phase with potential differences
About the study
- Original title
- [Attempted suicide and menstrual cycle. An epidemiologic study]
- Authors
- Gisselmann A, Ait Ameur A, Pinoit JM et al.
- Journal
- Annales medico-psychologiques
- Year
- 1996
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- No intervention; comparison study of suicide attempts across menstrual cycle phases
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8694401/