---
title: How many women with asthma have symptoms that worsen around menstruation, and is it consistent across cycles?
description: In this small study, 57% had symptoms that worsened around menstruation, but only 25% had this happen in every cycle. Birth control pills did not appear to pr
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-asthma-prevalence-cycle-to-cycle-variability-and-relationship-to-2008/
---

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- How many women with asthma have symptoms that worsen around menstruation, and is it consistent across cycles?

Cohort study, 2008

# How many women with asthma have symptoms that worsen around menstruation, and is it consistent across cycles?

In this small study, 57% had symptoms that worsened around menstruation, but only 25% had this happen in every cycle. Birth control pills did not appear to prevent premenstrual asthma.

 Early or limited evidence

28 premenopausal women with asthma

## What they did

Prospective cohort study of 28 premenopausal women with asthma. Women kept daily diaries for 2-4 menstrual cycles tracking symptoms, medication use, and peak flow (lung function). Researchers compared worsening during the luteal phase (last 14 days before menstruation) to the early follicular phase (first 7 days after).

## What they found

Using a definition of increased symptoms and medication use, 16 of 28 women (57%) had premenstrual asthma. However, only 4 women (25%) had this pattern in every cycle. Women on oral contraceptives had premenstrual asthma at a similar rate (55%) as those not on contraceptives (59%). Women with premenstrual asthma were more likely to show a 20% drop in peak flow during the luteal phase.

## What it means for you

More than half of women with asthma in this study had symptoms that worsened around menstruation, but the pattern was inconsistent cycle-to-cycle. Birth control did not prevent these symptoms. The study is limited by its very small size (28 women) and relatively short follow-up (2-4 cycles).

57%

had premenstrual asthma

25%

had premenstrual asthma in every cycle

2-4 cycles

length of follow-up

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual asthma: prevalence, cycle-to-cycle variability and relationship to oral contraceptive use and menstrual symptoms Authors Murphy VE, Gibson PG Journal The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma Year 2008 Study design Cohort study Participants 28 What was tested None; observational comparison of oral contraceptive users versus non-users Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/02770900802207279](https://doi.org/10.1080/02770900802207279)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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## Related studies

Randomised trial, 2011

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Does oral contraceptive help PMS and affect sexual interest?

Survey study, 1990

Does the type of contraceptive pill affect premenstrual symptoms?

Survey study, 1988

Do women with PMS have higher rates of postpartum depression and birth control side effects?

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