---
title: What are the main symptom clusters in PMS and how do they vary during the menstrual cycle?
description: Four main clusters were identified: turmoil, fluid retention, somatic symptoms, and arousal symptoms. Some clusters remain consistent across the cycle, while
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-delineating-symptom-clusters-1999/
---

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- What are the main symptom clusters in PMS and how do they vary during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 1999

# What are the main symptom clusters in PMS and how do they vary during the menstrual cycle?

Four main clusters were identified: turmoil, fluid retention, somatic symptoms, and arousal symptoms. Some clusters remain consistent across the cycle, while others change more.

 Early or limited evidence

General population sample and women screened for low-severity symptoms, PMS, or premenstrual magnification

## What they did

Researchers used statistical tests to analyze symptom patterns reported by women in the general population and by women with different levels of PMS severity, identifying which symptoms tend to occur together.

## What they found

Four symptom clusters explained more than 40% of the variation in women's symptoms. Turmoil and fluid retention had strong consistency across reports. Arousal and somatic symptoms stayed most similar across different phases of the menstrual cycle, while fluid retention and turmoil symptoms changed more over time.

## What it means for you

PMS symptoms fit into recognizable groups that emerge and fade at different times in the cycle. This helps doctors understand what women experience, though the study only explained 40% of symptom variation, so other factors also matter.

4

main symptom clusters identified

>40%

of symptom variation explained

>.70

alpha level for turmoil and fluid retention

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual symptoms: delineating symptom clusters Authors Woods NF, Mitchell ES, Lentz M Journal Journal of women's health & gender-based medicine Year 1999 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1.1999.8.1053](https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.1.1999.8.1053)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)

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Randomised trial, 2000

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