---
title: What symptoms and health impacts do women experience from menstrual distress?
description: Women with menstrual distress experience physical symptoms like cramping, tiredness, and breast pain, plus emotional symptoms like sadness and anxiety. These
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-distress-in-females-of-reproductive-age-a-literature-review-2021/
---

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- What symptoms and health impacts do women experience from menstrual distress?

Review, 2021

# What symptoms and health impacts do women experience from menstrual distress?

Women with menstrual distress experience physical symptoms like cramping, tiredness, and breast pain, plus emotional symptoms like sadness and anxiety. These affect their ability to work, attend school, and maintain mental health.

 Early or limited evidence

Women of reproductive age

## What they did

Literature review examining menstrual distress and its health impacts in women of reproductive age.

## What they found

Physical symptoms include cramps, tiredness, backache, swollen abdomen, and painful breasts. Emotional symptoms include sadness, restlessness, and despair. Some women report increased smoking, alcohol use, and hunger. Menstrual issues affect daily activities, reproductive health, and mental health.

## What it means for you

Menstrual distress is common and affects many areas of women's health and daily life including work and school attendance. Women should discuss menstrual problems with healthcare providers. Limitation: literature review without specific data on prevalence or severity.

## About the study

Original title Menstrual distress in females of reproductive age: a literature review Authors Maqbool R, Maqbool M, Zehravi M et al. Journal International journal of adolescent medicine and health Year 2021 Study design Review What was tested None; literature review Read the paper [doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2021-0081](https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2021-0081)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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