---
title: Do women with PMS experience more sexual difficulties and sexual distress?
description: Women with PMS are significantly more likely to report sexual difficulties and sexual distress. 77.6% of women with PMS had sexual concerns compared to 27.3%
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-is-associated-with-a-higher-frequency-of-female-sexual-2017/
---

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- Do women with PMS experience more sexual difficulties and sexual distress?

Cohort study, 2017

# Do women with PMS experience more sexual difficulties and sexual distress?

Women with PMS are significantly more likely to report sexual difficulties and sexual distress. 77.6% of women with PMS had sexual concerns compared to 27.3% of controls, and 51.7% of PMS women had sexual difficulties compared to 24.5% of controls.

 Moderate study design

143 women with PMS and 143 controls aged 18 to 40 in Istanbul, Turkey

## What they did

Prospective cohort study at a hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, comparing 143 women diagnosed with PMS to 143 matched healthy controls aged 18 to 40. PMS was confirmed by having women prospectively track symptoms for 2 consecutive menstrual cycles. All women were screened for depression and then completed assessments of sexual function and sexual distress.

## What they found

77.6% of women with PMS reported sexual concerns on the Female Sexual Function Index compared to 27.3% of controls (p<0.05). 51.7% of PMS women reported sexual distress compared to 24.5% of controls (p<0.05). Overall, 51.7% of PMS women were classified as having sexual difficulties based on low sexual function scores and sexual distress, compared to 24.5% of controls (p<0.05).

## What it means for you

PMS substantially affects women's sexual function and causes sexual distress. This broadens understanding of how PMS impacts quality of life beyond mood and physical symptoms. This is one hospital in Turkey, so the findings may not apply everywhere. The study shows association, not proof of cause.

77.6%

PMS women with sexual concerns

27.3%

controls with sexual concerns

51.7%

PMS women with sexual difficulties

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual Syndrome Is Associated With a Higher Frequency of Female Sexual Difficulty and Sexual Distress Authors İlhan G, Verit Atmaca FV, Kurek Eken M et al. Journal Journal of sex & marital therapy Year 2017 Study design Cohort study Participants 143 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/0092623x.2017.1305030](https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623x.2017.1305030)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Libido and sexual function](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sexual-function/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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