Survey study, 1988
Can a simple symptom tracker over 2 to 3 cycles identify which women have PMS?
Yes. Tracking 6 common symptoms every day for 2 to 3 cycles can identify women whose symptoms cluster before their period, which may indicate true PMS.
What they did
134 women weighed themselves at the same time each day and tracked 6 common symptoms every day for multiple cycles (346 cycles total). They also reported their pain relievers, medications, age, and smoking habits.
What they found
Women fell into three groups based on symptom patterns. Group A had almost no symptoms. Group B had symptoms clustered toward the end of the cycle. Group C had symptoms throughout the month. Women in Group B had larger weight changes before their period. Pain reliever use was similar across all three groups.
What it means for you
A simple daily tracker over just 2 to 3 cycles could help identify women who have true PMS (with symptoms clustered before the period) versus those without it or with symptoms throughout the month. This could help researchers choose the right women for future PMS treatment studies. We don't know if symptoms change over longer time periods.
134
women tracked
346
menstrual cycles analyzed
6
symptoms tracked daily
About the study
- Original title
- Factors influencing the cyclical symptoms relating to the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Simpson LO, Shand BI, Nyhof RB
- Journal
- The New Zealand medical journal
- Year
- 1988
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 3
- What was tested
- None - this tested a symptom tracking method
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3368129/
Topics
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