Survey study, 2014
Do women who had PMS develop more hot flashes in menopause?
No. Women with a history of premenstrual symptoms did not have more or worse hot flashes after menopause. However, those with a PMS history did report more problems with memory, mood, sleep, and feeling less attractive during the menopause transition.
What they did
Researchers surveyed 150 women who had recently entered menopause. Women recorded their hot flashes and answered questions about premenstrual symptoms they had experienced during their fertile years.
What they found
Of 150 women, 107 (89.2%) reported having premenstrual symptoms during fertile years. The severity of premenstrual symptoms did not differ based on hot flash severity. Memory, concentration, depressed mood, sleep problems, and feeling less attractive were linked to a history of premenstrual symptoms.
What it means for you
Having PMS when younger does not predict how bad your hot flashes will be in menopause, which is reassuring. However, women with a PMS history may experience more quality-of-life challenges during early menopause, particularly with mood and memory. The study cannot show whether PMS causes these issues.
150
postmenopausal women surveyed
89.2%
reported premenstrual symptoms during fertile years
107
women with history of premenstrual symptoms
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual symptoms in fertile age are associated with impaired quality of life, but not hot flashes, in recently postmenopausal women
- Authors
- Hautamäki H, Haapalahti P, Savolainen-Peltonen H et al.
- Journal
- Menopause (New York, N.Y.)
- Year
- 2014
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 64
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/gme.0000000000000247
Topics
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