Study, 1981
Do premenstrual tension symptoms go away after hysterectomy?
No, cyclical mood and physical changes linked to the menstrual cycle continue after hysterectomy in women who had premenstrual tension syndrome, which suggests the cause is hormonal rather than related to the uterus itself.
What they did
Researchers tracked daily symptom ratings in 7 women with premenstrual tension syndrome for one month before and up to two months after hysterectomy. In 12 women, they also measured ovarian hormones by analyzing 12-hour urine samples collected twice weekly to track ovarian activity after the surgery.
What they found
Cyclical changes in mood persisted after hysterectomy and were strongest during the late luteal phase of the cycle. Activity and energy ratings showed a marked decrease during the late luteal phase and during menstruation. Most women showed a small but significant improvement in overall symptoms following hysterectomy. The presence of the uterus and menstruation were not necessary for premenstrual tension syndrome to occur.
What it means for you
This shows that premenstrual tension syndrome comes from hormonal changes, not from the uterus or menstrual bleeding itself. Even after removing the uterus, women still experienced cyclical mood and physical symptoms tied to their ovarian hormones. The main limitation is the small sample size, so these findings are preliminary.
7
women tracked for symptoms
12
women with hormone measurements
About the study
- Original title
- Persistence of symptoms of premenstrual tension in hysterectomized women
- Authors
- Bäckström CT, Boyle H, Baird DT
- Journal
- British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 1981
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- Hysterectomy
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1981.tb01028.x
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