--- title: Is there a reliable tool to measure menstrual distress? | Niyora description: Researchers created MEDI-Q, a 25-question questionnaire that reliably measures menstrual distress and can identify women experiencing significant period-relat url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-distress-questionnaire-medi-q-a-new-tool-to-assess-menstruation-2021/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is there a reliable tool to measure menstrual distress? Survey study, 2021 # Is there a reliable tool to measure menstrual distress? Researchers created MEDI-Q, a 25-question questionnaire that reliably measures menstrual distress and can identify women experiencing significant period-related problems. Moderate study design 418 healthy women aged 18-50 in Italy with no uterine or psychiatric disorders ## What they did Researchers developed a 25-question questionnaire about menstrual distress and tested it with 418 healthy women aged 18-50 at a hospital in Florence, Italy from June 2019 to May 2020. The questionnaire covered pain, discomfort, psychological or cognitive changes, digestive symptoms, and changes in physical functions. ## What they found The MEDI-Q questionnaire produced reliable results and measured what it was supposed to measure. Scores correlated with general mental health concerns and premenstrual symptoms. A score of 20 or higher indicated clinically relevant menstrual distress. ## What it means for you A new tool is available to consistently measure how much distress someone experiences during their period. This could help doctors identify women suffering from periods and monitor them over time. The main limit is this was tested in one hospital in Italy with generally healthy women, so results may not apply to all women or countries. 418 healthy women studied 18-50 age range in years 20 score indicating clinically relevant distress ## About the study Original title Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MEDI-Q): a new tool to assess menstruation-related distress Authors Vannuccini S, Rossi E, Cassioli E et al. Journal Reproductive biomedicine online Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 418 What was tested A new 25-item menstrual distress questionnaire Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.08.029](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rbmo.2021.08.029) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[IBS and gut symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ibs-gi/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) 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. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating? Survey study, 2025 What are menstrual cycle patterns in elite female basketball players? Survey study, 2025 How common are period pain and PMS in Spanish university students, and do lifestyle choices affect them? Review, 2025 Do herbal remedies help with menstrual and menopausal symptoms? Non-randomised trial, 2023 Does a supplement with Vitex, vitamin B6, and magnesium reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2015 Does menstrual pain cause emotional stress in young women? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗