Systematic review, 2025

Do drugs that stop ovulation help women with PMS?

The abstract is incomplete and does not provide the main results, so no clear answer can be determined from the information given.

Moderate study design Women with PMS diagnosed over at least two menstrual cycles, no current psychiatric disorder

What they did

Systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing GnRH drugs (medications that suppress ovulation) to placebo or other treatments in women with PMS diagnosed over at least two menstrual cycles.

What they found

The review identified 11 randomized controlled trials involving 275 women total. The studies measured overall PMS symptom severity, quality of life, and adverse effects. GnRH drugs suppress ovulation but can cause menopausal side effects like hot flushes. Adding back hormones (estrogen or progestogen) can reduce these side effects. The main results section is incomplete.

What it means for you

The abstract cuts off before reporting whether GnRH drugs actually work for PMS. You cannot make a clinical decision from this abstract alone. The main limitation is that the key findings are not provided.

275

total women in review

randomized controlled trials

consecutive menstrual cycles required for diagnosis

About the study

Original title: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues for premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Authors: Naheed B, Kuiper JH, O'Mahony F et al.
Journal: The Cochrane database of systematic reviews
Year: 2025
Study design: Systematic review
What was tested: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues (agonists or antagonists) with or without hormone add-back
Open access: Yes
Read the paper: doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd011330.pub2

Topics

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy Perimenopause and menopause Work and productivity Relationships and partners Quality of life and daily functioning

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