---
title: Does having PTSD or past trauma raise the risk of developing PMS later?
description: Yes. Women with trauma exposure or PTSD symptoms were more likely to develop PMS over time, and the more PTSD symptoms a woman had, the higher her risk.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-and-development-of-premenstrual-syndrome-in-a-2019/
---

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- Does having PTSD or past trauma raise the risk of developing PMS later?

Cohort study, 2019

# Does having PTSD or past trauma raise the risk of developing PMS later?

Yes. Women with trauma exposure or PTSD symptoms were more likely to develop PMS over time, and the more PTSD symptoms a woman had, the higher her risk.

 Moderate study design

2924 women aged 27-44, followed for 14 years in a longitudinal cohort.

## What they did

Researchers followed 2924 women aged 27-44 for 14 years in a longitudinal cohort study, looking at whether trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms at the start predicted new cases of PMS later on.

## What they found

Compared with women who had no trauma exposure, risk of PMS rose step by step with trauma and PTSD severity: trauma with no PTSD symptoms OR 1.31 (95% CI 1.05-1.63); 1-3 PTSD symptoms OR 1.71 (95% CI 1.33-2.20); 4-5 PTSD symptoms OR 2.90 (95% CI 2.07-4.05); 6-7 PTSD symptoms OR 3.42 (95% CI 2.18-5.36). The trend was statistically significant (p < .001).

## What it means for you

Trauma and PTSD symptoms may be an important risk factor for later PMS, with worse PTSD symptoms linked to higher PMS risk. This is an observational study, so it shows an association over time, not direct proof that PTSD causes PMS, and other unmeasured factors could play a role.

2924

Women followed

14

Years of follow-up

3.42

OR for highest PTSD symptom group (6-7 symptoms)

## About the study

Original title Posttraumatic stress disorder and development of premenstrual syndrome in a longitudinal cohort of women Authors Jung SJ, Roberts AL, Chocano-Bedoya P et al. Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2019 Study design Cohort study Participants 2,924 What was tested No treatment tested; this study measured trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms as risk factors for later PMS. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0916-0](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-018-0916-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)

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