Cohort study, 2021

Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression?

Yes. Women with frequent PMS before pregnancy had higher risk of postpartum depression after birth, with the risk rising as PMS became more frequent.

Strong study design 5479 Australian women aged 22-27 to 37-42

What they did

Researchers followed 5479 Australian women from age 22-27 in 2000 to age 37-42 in 2015. They tracked how often women had PMS before pregnancy and whether they were diagnosed with postpartum depression after childbirth.

What they found

About 15.4% of women developed postpartum depression. Women who sometimes had PMS were 31% more likely to develop postpartum depression than those with no PMS (RR 1.31). Women who often had PMS were 51% more likely (RR 1.51). The association remained even when accounting for history of depression.

What it means for you

If you have regular PMS before pregnancy, you may be at higher risk for postpartum depression. The risk increases with how frequent your PMS is. The study is large and population-based, but relied on women's reports of PMS rather than medical records.

15.4%

Postpartum depression rate

1.31

Sometimes PMS relative risk (1.09-1.57)

1.51

Often PMS relative risk (1.22-1.87)

About the study

Original title: Does premenstrual syndrome before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health
Authors: Cao S, Jones M, Tooth L et al.
Journal: Journal of affective disorders
Year: 2021
Study design: Cohort study
Participants: 5,479
What was tested: None
Open access: Yes
Read the paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.130

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