Survey study, 2025
Does childhood trauma affect PMS symptoms and how women experience childbirth?
Yes, childhood trauma, especially emotional and physical neglect, was linked to both PMS and traumatic childbirth perception. Reproductive health education appeared to reduce this effect.
What they did
Cross-sectional survey of 410 women aged 18-25 in Turkey from June to December 2022. Women completed questionnaires measuring PMS, childhood trauma including abuse and neglect, and how they perceived childbirth as traumatic.
What they found
Significant relationships were found between PMS, traumatic childbirth perception, and childhood trauma. Emotional and physical neglect mediated the relationship between PMS and traumatic childbirth perception. Reproductive health education had a moderating effect, reducing the relationship between PMS and traumatic birth perception.
What it means for you
Childhood trauma, especially neglect, may shape how severely women experience PMS and how they perceive childbirth. Reproductive health education may help protect against these effects. However, this is one university in Turkey with only young women aged 18-25, so results may differ elsewhere.
410
women studied
18-25
age range of participants
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual syndrome and traumatic childbirth perception: the role of childhood abuse, neglect history and taking reproductive health course: a cross-sectional study in Turkey
- Authors
- Yalnız Di̇lcen H, Uykucu Armutçuoğlu G
- Journal
- BMC women's health
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 410
- What was tested
- None - this was observational (reproductive health education was measured, not tested)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1186/s12905-025-04085-4
Topics
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