--- title: Does prenatal hormone exposure affect PMDD risk? | Niyora description: Women with PMDD had a longer distance from clitoris to urethra than women without PMDD, suggesting higher prenatal androgen exposure might increase PMDD risk. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-is-associated-with-the-longer-length-from-2021/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does prenatal hormone exposure affect PMDD risk? Study, 2021 # Does prenatal hormone exposure affect PMDD risk? Women with PMDD had a longer distance from clitoris to urethra than women without PMDD, suggesting higher prenatal androgen exposure might increase PMDD risk. This is one small measurement study and needs confirmation. Early or limited evidence 77 women: 25 with PMDD and 52 without ## What they did Researchers measured physical characteristics on 77 women (25 with PMDD, 52 without) including distance from clitoris to urethra, anogenital distance, and finger length ratios. These measurements reflect prenatal androgen (male hormone) exposure in the womb. ## What they found Women with PMDD had a longer distance from clitoris to urethra compared to women without PMDD (25.03 ± 4.73 versus 22.07 ± 4.30). There was no clear difference between groups in anogenital distance or finger length ratios. ## What it means for you Higher prenatal androgen exposure may increase PMDD risk. This is measurement research on a small sample, so the results need confirmation in larger studies. Other factors like current life circumstances and hormone levels may also affect PMDD. 77 Total women studied 25 Women with PMDD 25.03 vs 22.07 Clitoris-to-urethra distance ## About the study Original title Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is associated with the longer length from clitoris to urethra Authors Li Z, Xu MJ, Jin Y et al. Journal BMC women's health Year 2021 Study design Study Participants 77 What was tested Physical measurements (observational study) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01403-4](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-021-01403-4) Original abstract Background: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a common, recently recognized, psychiatric condition among reproductive women, reflecting abnormal responsivity to ovarian steroids. Moreover, the potential organizational effect of prenatal sex hormones during PMDD has got attentions, but there have been considerably less of researches on this topic. The aim of this research was to investigate the possible role of prenatal androgen in the PMDD. Methods: Anogenital distance (AGD), the distance between a woman's clitoris and her urethral meatus (CUMD), left and right 2D:4D ratios were measured in 77 subjects (25 patients with PMDD), as these anthropometric indicators are considered to indirectly reflect prenatal androgen exposures in utero. Results: Patients with PMDD had a longer CUMD than controls (25.03 ± 4.73 vs. 22.07 ± 4.30, P = 0.008), while there were no significant difference between PMDD group and control group in the AGD and right and left 2D:4D ratios. Conclusion: Atypical high prenatal androgen exposure might predispose individuals to be susceptible to PMDD. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/) 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 Cohort study, 2026 What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together? Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Study, 2026 How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Systematic review, 2026 How much of PMDD treatment improvement comes from placebo effect? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗