---
title: Does smoking increase the risk of PMS? | Niyora
description: Yes. Current smokers were 2.1 times more likely than never smokers to develop PMS over 2-4 years. Women who started smoking before age 15 had 2.53 times highe
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cigarette-smoking-and-the-development-of-premenstrual-syndrome-2008/
---

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- Does smoking increase the risk of PMS?

Case-control study, 2008

# Does smoking increase the risk of PMS?

Yes. Current smokers were 2.1 times more likely than never smokers to develop PMS over 2-4 years. Women who started smoking before age 15 had 2.53 times higher risk.

 Moderate study design

1,057 women who developed PMS and 1,968 who didn't, aged 27-44, from the US Nurses' Health Study II

## What they did

Case-control study nested in a large US cohort study. 1,057 women who developed PMS and 1,968 who did not were followed from 1991-2001. All were aged 27-44 and had no PMS at the start. Women reported their smoking history at different ages.

## What they found

Current smokers had 2.1 times the risk of developing PMS over 2-4 years (95% CI: 1.56, 2.83). Women who started smoking before age 15 had 2.53 times the risk compared to never smokers (95% CI: 1.70, 3.76). Total pack-years of smoking was also independently linked to higher PMS risk.

## What it means for you

Smoking, especially in adolescence and early adulthood, appears to increase the risk of developing PMS. This provides another reason for young women to avoid smoking. The study was large and prospective, but it relied on women's memory of past smoking habits.

2.1

Risk increase for current smokers vs never smokers

2.53

Risk increase for those starting smoking before age 15

10 years

Study follow-up period

## About the study

Original title Cigarette smoking and the development of premenstrual syndrome Authors Bertone-Johnson ER, Hankinson SE, Johnson SR et al. Journal American journal of epidemiology Year 2008 Study design Case-control study What was tested Smoking history (exposure examined) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn194](https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwn194)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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