Cohort study, 2025
Does PMS or other menstrual problems increase the risk of asthma later in life?
Yes. Women who had heavy menstrual bleeding, severe period pain, or PMS from their 20s to 40s had 62-67% higher odds of asthma in their 40s.
What they did
Followed 1240 Australian women born 1973-1978. Collected information on menstrual problems from 1996 to 2018. Checked who had asthma (doctor-diagnosed, recent attacks, or medication use) in their 40s.
What they found
Among participants, 14.2% had current asthma in their 40s. Heavy menstrual bleeding was associated with 1.62 times higher odds of asthma. Severe period pain was associated with 1.67 times higher odds. PMS was associated with 1.66 times higher odds. Irregular periods were only associated with asthma when reported during their 40s, not earlier.
What it means for you
Menstrual problems in reproductive years may reflect lung problems that develop later. The main limitation is that this is observational data, so we cannot prove that menstrual problems directly cause asthma. The study only included Australian women.
1240
women followed across decades
14.2%
had current asthma in their 40s
1.62-1.67
odds ratio for menstrual problems
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual disorders and the risk of asthma: A prospective study of women from their early twenties to their mid-forties
- Authors
- Jin C, Dharmage S, Dobson A et al.
- Journal
- Maturitas
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 1,240
- What was tested
- None, observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2025.108218
Topics
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