Interview study, 2025
How do young lesbian women experience PMS and does partner support affect it?
They reported typical PMS symptoms like irritability and depression. Unlike in studies of heterosexual women where PMS causes conflict, these women found that supportive partners and open communication actually reduced the burden.
What they did
Qualitative interview study of seven lesbian women aged 18-24 in Turkey. Researchers asked them to describe their PMS experiences and how their relationships affected their symptoms.
What they found
The women reported emotional symptoms like irritability and depression plus physical discomfort. They said supportive partners who shared household tasks and communicated openly made PMS easier to manage. This differed from studies of heterosexual women where PMS often led to relationship conflict.
What it means for you
PMS symptoms are similar across women, but partner support and communication matter. This small study in Turkey suggests health research needs to include lesbian women and consider cultural context. The findings cannot be generalized because the sample is very small and limited to one country.
7
women interviewed
18-24
age range
Turkey
location
About the study
- Original title
- Lesbian Young Women’s Perceptions of Premenstrual Syndrome and Partner Relationship: A Qualitative Study
- Authors
- Özden Tandoğan, Ebru Şimşek
- Journal
- Women s Reproductive Health
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Interview study
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/23293691.2025.2508977
Topics
Related studies
Study, 2026
What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms?
Survey study, 2025
What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome?
Survey study, 2025
Does the premenstrual period explain why evening-type sleep patterns cause more sleep schedule mismatch?
Survey study, 2015
What helps high school girls manage premenstrual symptoms?
Survey study, 2026
Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important?
Survey study, 2026
Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents?