---
title: How common are premenstrual symptoms and painful periods among Muslim women in Nigeria?
description: In this group, premenstrual symptoms were present in 23.8% of women, with breast pain the most common symptom, and painful periods were present in 36.4%.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-and-dysmenorrhoea-among-muslim-women-in-zaria-nigeria-2007/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- How common are premenstrual symptoms and painful periods among Muslim women in Nigeria?

Study, 2007

# How common are premenstrual symptoms and painful periods among Muslim women in Nigeria?

In this group, premenstrual symptoms were present in 23.8% of women, with breast pain the most common symptom, and painful periods were present in 36.4%.

 Early or limited evidence

200 Muslim women interviewed at two hospitals in Zaria, Nigeria

## What they did

Researchers interviewed 200 Muslim women at two hospitals in Zaria, Nigeria, between August and October 2003, asking about their premenstrual and menstrual symptoms.

## What they found

Premenstrual symptoms were present in 23.8% of the women, and breast pain was the commonest symptom, affecting 50% of those with symptoms. Of the women who needed medication for premenstrual symptoms, 29.8% treated themselves rather than seeing a doctor. Painful periods (dysmenorrhoea) were present in 36.4% of women. Women with fewer previous pregnancies, those who had used or were using contraception, and those with painful periods were more likely to have premenstrual symptoms. Women who were younger or had fewer previous pregnancies were more likely to have painful periods.

## What it means for you

Premenstrual symptoms and painful periods often occur together in this group, so care that addresses both at once may help. The study only looked at Muslim women in one city in Nigeria, so the results may not apply to other groups or places, and it did not test any treatment.

23.8%

had premenstrual symptoms

50%

of those had breast pain, the most common symptom

36.4%

had painful periods (dysmenorrhoea)

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual symptoms and dysmenorrhoea among Muslim women in Zaria, Nigeria Authors Sule ST, Umar HS, Madugu NH Journal Annals of African medicine Year 2007 Study design Study What was tested None, this was an observational interview study Read the paper [doi.org/10.4103/1596-3519.55713](https://doi.org/10.4103/1596-3519.55713)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)

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

Do sleep, exercise, and diet quality affect period pain, heavy bleeding, and PMS in midlife?

Systematic review, 2026

Does saffron reduce PMS and period pain symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2025

Do vitamin D and E supplements reduce menstrual pain and PMS symptoms?

Systematic review, 2025

Does digital healthcare help manage period pain and PMS?

Cohort study, 2025

How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it?

Systematic review, 2025

How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗