---
title: Do women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD need different treatment?
description: Yes. Women with both conditions have more severe symptoms, more frequent relapses, and worse responses to treatment. They need special care that tracks their
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/bipolar-disorder-and-premenstrual-syndrome-or-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2012/
---

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- Do women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD need different treatment?

Systematic review, 2012

# Do women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD need different treatment?

Yes. Women with both conditions have more severe symptoms, more frequent relapses, and worse responses to treatment. They need special care that tracks their menstrual cycle.

 Strong study design

Women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD

## What they did

Systematic review of 17 articles published from 1987 to February 2012. Researchers searched medical databases for studies on women who have both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD to understand the overlap between these conditions.

## What they found

PMS and PMDD were most common in women with bipolar disorder type II (BD-II). Women with PMS or PMDD also had an increased risk of having bipolar disorder type I (BD-I). Bipolar women sensitive to hormonal changes showed more severe symptoms, more frequent relapses, and responded worse to treatment.

## What it means for you

Women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD need careful diagnosis and treatment. Doctors should track menstrual cycle dates and compare symptom intensity between menstrual phases. Using continuous contraceptives to stabilize hormones might help reduce severity.

17

articles reviewed

1987-2012

publication years covered

## About the study

Original title Bipolar disorder and Premenstrual Syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder comorbidity: a systematic review Authors Cirillo PC, Passos RB, Bevilaqua MC et al. Journal Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999) Year 2012 Study design Systematic review What was tested None tested - this reviews the connection between the conditions Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.rbp.2012.04.010](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbp.2012.04.010)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)

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