--- title: Do women with diabetes have different menstrual symptoms than women without diabetes? description: Yes. Women with diabetes reported changes in blood sugar around their period. They also had later periods starting in life, more irregular cycles, and less se url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/perimenstrual-symptoms-in-women-with-diabetes-mellitus-and-the-relationship-to-1993/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with diabetes have different menstrual symptoms than women without diabetes? Survey study, 1993 # Do women with diabetes have different menstrual symptoms than women without diabetes? Yes. Women with diabetes reported changes in blood sugar around their period. They also had later periods starting in life, more irregular cycles, and less severe PMS compared to women without diabetes. Early or limited evidence 406 women with insulin-dependent diabetes ## What they did 406 women with insulin-dependent diabetes completed a questionnaire about their menstrual cycle and symptoms, and their answers were compared with those of non-diabetic women who answered a similar questionnaire. ## What they found 67% of diabetic women experienced changes in blood sugar or sugar in the urine before their period, and 70% during menstruation. Women who craved sweet foods tended to have higher blood sugar at those times. Diabetic women started their periods later in life and had more irregular cycles than non-diabetic women. Among those who reported having PMS, diabetic women had less severe symptoms than non-diabetic women. ## What it means for you Diabetes affects the menstrual cycle and may change how severe PMS symptoms feel. The sweet cravings may happen because women eat more sweets when their blood sugar is already high. This was one survey done at one time point, not a controlled trial, which limits what we can conclude. 406 women with diabetes studied 67% with blood sugar changes before period 70% with changes during menstruation ## About the study Original title Perimenstrual symptoms in women with diabetes mellitus and the relationship to diabetic control Authors Cawood EH, Bancroft J, Steel JM Journal Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association Year 1993 Study design Survey study What was tested None - this compared diabetic and non-diabetic women Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-5491.1993.tb00096.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-5491.1993.tb00096.x) ## 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/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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, 2024 Does poor sleep and period problems affect teen mental health? Survey study, 2022 Does regular exercise reduce period symptoms? Survey study, 2014 Are depression and anxiety linked to period pain in teenage girls? Survey study, 2026 Is anxiety linked to irregular menstrual cycles in teenage girls? Survey study, 2026 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders? Survey study, 2024 What factors are linked to PMDD in female university students? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗