---
title: Do SSRIs help women with both PMS and depression? | Niyora
description: Women with both PMS and depression who took SSRIs showed improvement over 6 months. However, the evidence is weak because this was a small study without a con
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/clinical-characteristics-of-pms-co-morbid-with-mdd-and-effectiveness-of-ssris-in-2020/
---

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- Do SSRIs help women with both PMS and depression?

Cohort study, 2020

# Do SSRIs help women with both PMS and depression?

Women with both PMS and depression who took SSRIs showed improvement over 6 months. However, the evidence is weak because this was a small study without a control group.

 Early or limited evidence

31 women with both premenstrual syndrome and major depressive disorder

## What they did

Observational longitudinal study of 31 women with both PMS and major depressive disorder. Women received SSRI antidepressant treatment for 6 months and were evaluated twice during treatment.

## What they found

Before treatment, women reported moderate to severe mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, breast tenderness, palpitations, abdominal bloating and headache. After 6 months of SSRI treatment, these same symptoms were present but mildly expressed. Symptom improvement was greater at month 3 than at month 6. The conclusion notes that SSRIs alleviate both symptom types at month three and even further, although less pronouncedly at month six.

## What it means for you

SSRIs may help reduce both mood and physical PMS symptoms in women who also have depression. The evidence is limited because this was a small observational study without a comparison group, and we do not know whether these results apply to women with PMS alone.

31

women in study

6

months of treatment

## About the study

Original title Clinical Characteristics of PMS Co-Morbid with MDD and Effectiveness of SSRIs in its Treatment Authors R. Yakimova, Maya Y. Stoimenova-Popova, Petranka G. Chumpalova et al. Journal Acta Medica Bulgarica Year 2020 Study design Cohort study What was tested SSRI antidepressant treatment for 6 months Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.2478/amb-2020-0041](https://doi.org/10.2478/amb-2020-0041)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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