--- title: How common are depression symptoms in women in their late 30s and early 40s, and what predicts them? description: About 22% of women aged 36-44 showed depression symptoms. Marital status, smoking, and having children predicted depression risk more than menstrual cycle cha url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/prevalence-and-predictors-of-depressive-symptoms-in-older-premenopausal-women-1999/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common are depression symptoms in women in their late 30s and early 40s, and what predicts them? Cohort study, 1999 # How common are depression symptoms in women in their late 30s and early 40s, and what predicts them? About 22% of women aged 36-44 showed depression symptoms. Marital status, smoking, and having children predicted depression risk more than menstrual cycle changes alone. Moderate study design 4161 women aged 36-44 from Boston area communities ## What they did 4161 women aged 36-44 from Boston area communities completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing depression symptoms, menstrual history, and lifestyle factors. ## What they found 22.4% had depression scores of 16 or more, and 8.6% scored 25 or more on a depression scale. Widowed, divorced, or separated women were twice as likely as married women to have depression scores greater than 16 (95% CI 1.6-2.8). Smokers in the upper tertile of pack-years were 1.9 times more likely to have depression scores of 16 or more (95% CI 1.5-2.3). Women with 3 or more children had significantly lower depression risk (odds ratio 0.4; 95% CI 0.3-0.6) compared to women without children. Five of 8 premenstrual symptoms were significantly associated with depression scores. ## What it means for you Depression in this age group is common and more related to life circumstances than to menstrual changes. Premenstrual symptoms were associated with depression, but menstrual irregularities were not. 22.4% with depression symptoms 2x more likely if divorced/separated 1.9x more likely if heavy smoker ## About the study Original title Prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms in older premenopausal women: the Harvard Study of Moods and Cycles Authors Harlow BL, Cohen LS, Otto MW et al. Journal Archives of general psychiatry Year 1999 Study design Cohort study Participants 4,161 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.56.5.418](https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.56.5.418) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) 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 Lab study, 2018 How does depression affect menstrual function and fertility in women? Survey study, 1989 Do women's memories of premenstrual depression match their daily mood ratings? Survey study, 2011 Is premenstrual syndrome related to major depression? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2013 Are menstrual symptoms common in middle-aged women and do they relate to hot flushes? Review, 2012 Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗