---
title: What factors make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse? | Niyora
description: Women with chronic illness, psychiatric history, reproductive problems, alcohol use, never being pregnant, and a family history of PMS tend to have worse prem
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/investigation-of-factors-related-to-menstrual-and-premenstrual-symptoms-2021/
---

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- What factors make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse?

Survey study, 2021

# What factors make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse?

Women with chronic illness, psychiatric history, reproductive problems, alcohol use, never being pregnant, and a family history of PMS tend to have worse premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. Having negative thoughts about menstruation also worsens symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

1,105 women aged 18-49 years

## What they did

Cross-sectional survey of 1,105 women aged 18-49 who completed digital questionnaires during May-August 2018. Researchers analyzed results using statistical software.

## What they found

26.2% experienced PMS and 11.5% experienced PMDD. Risk factors that increased symptom severity included chronic illness, psychiatric history, reproductive problems in the past year, dysmenorrhea, menstrual disorders, negative thoughts about menstruation, never being pregnant, contraception use, alcohol consumption, and family history of PMS or dysmenorrhea. Religious attitudes had no link to symptoms.

## What it means for you

Many medical, lifestyle, and psychological factors are connected to worse premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. This large survey found correlations but cannot prove these factors cause worse symptoms. It is one snapshot in time in one place.

26.2%

had PMS

11.5%

had PMDD

1,105

women studied

## About the study

Original title Investigation of Factors Related to Menstrual and Premenstrual Symptoms Authors Nur Elçin Boyacıoğlu, Fulya Gökdemir, Neslihan Keser Özcan Journal Archives of Health Science and Research Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 1,105 What was tested none (observational study) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.5152/archealthscires.2021.20057](https://doi.org/10.5152/archealthscires.2021.20057)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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