---
title: Do women with irregular periods have more depression symptoms?
description: Women with irregular cycles reported more depression symptoms in both studies. However, in the more rigorous analysis with complete data, the result was not s
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/higher-depressive-symptoms-in-irregular-menstrual-cycles-converging-evidence-2024/
---

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- Do women with irregular periods have more depression symptoms?

Cohort study, 2024

# Do women with irregular periods have more depression symptoms?

Women with irregular cycles reported more depression symptoms in both studies. However, in the more rigorous analysis with complete data, the result was not statistically significant, so the link is unclear.

 Early or limited evidence

394 women in cross-sectional study; 77 women in longitudinal study

## What they did

Cross-sectional: 394 women reported depression and menstrual cycle regularity once. Longitudinal: 77 women completed questionnaires about depression and stress at two phases during one menstrual cycle.

## What they found

In the cross-sectional study, women with irregular cycles had more depressive symptoms. In the longitudinal analysis, those with irregular cycles also had more depressive symptoms after accounting for stress. When analyzing only the 52 women with complete data, the pattern remained but was not statistically significant.

## What it means for you

Irregular periods may be connected to depression, but the evidence is not yet strong. The study would have been stronger with daily hormone measurements and tracking multiple cycles. It was also limited by smaller sample size and data collected during COVID.

394

women in cross-sectional study

77

women in longitudinal study

52

women with complete data

## About the study

Original title Higher Depressive Symptoms in Irregular Menstrual Cycles: Converging Evidence from Cross-Sectional and Prospective Assessments Authors Klusmann H, Kapp C, Engel S et al. Journal Psychopathology Year 2024 Study design Cohort study Participants 394 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1159/000535565](https://doi.org/10.1159/000535565)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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