---
title: Do women with schizophrenia have irregular periods, and does this affect their psychiatric symptoms?
description: Among 139 women with schizophrenia, 41% had irregular periods. Irregular cycles were linked to antipsychotic medications and lower estrogen levels, but did no
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-characteristics-in-women-with-persistent-schizophrenia-2016/
---

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- Do women with schizophrenia have irregular periods, and does this affect their psychiatric symptoms?

Survey study, 2016

# Do women with schizophrenia have irregular periods, and does this affect their psychiatric symptoms?

Among 139 women with schizophrenia, 41% had irregular periods. Irregular cycles were linked to antipsychotic medications and lower estrogen levels, but did not appear to worsen psychiatric or depressive symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

139 women aged 18-51 with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder

## What they did

Researchers collected baseline data from 139 women with schizophrenia or related disorders, aged 18-51. They documented menstrual regularity, cycle length, and menstrual symptoms. They also measured psychotic symptoms, depression, cognition, and hormone levels.

## What they found

77 women (55.4%) had regular periods, 57 (41%) had irregular periods, and 5 (3.6%) had missing data. Women taking certain antipsychotics were 4.4 times more likely to have irregular cycles. Irregular cycles were linked to lower estrogen levels. The most common menstrual symptoms were mood decrease (64.8%), bloating (64.8%), cramps (59.7%), back pain (37.6%), and worsening of psychosis symptoms (32.4%). Psychiatric and depressive symptoms did not differ between women with regular and irregular cycles.

## What it means for you

Women with schizophrenia taking certain medications often experience irregular periods with lower estrogen, but this does not appear to worsen their psychiatric symptoms. The study was observational and did not compare women to a healthy control group.

41%

had irregular periods

64.8%

experienced mood decrease with menstrual cycle

4.4

odds ratio for irregular periods with certain antipsychotics

## About the study

Original title Menstrual cycle characteristics in women with persistent schizophrenia Authors Gleeson PC, Worsley R, Gavrilidis E et al. Journal The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry Year 2016 Study design Survey study Participants 139 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/0004867415590459](https://doi.org/10.1177/0004867415590459)

## Topics

[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

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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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