Survey study, 1990
Do women with PMDD have a history of depression or other mental health problems?
Yes. 78% of women with PMDD had a lifetime history of other mental disorders, most commonly depression. 29% of those who had given birth reported postpartum depression.
What they did
Interviews with 78 women diagnosed with PMDD. Clinicians assessed their lifetime history of other mental health conditions using diagnostic criteria.
What they found
78% had a lifetime history of other mental disorders (mostly prior depression). 29% of women who had given birth experienced postpartum depression. 10% had personality disorders. Symptoms worsened during the luteal (premenstrual) phase compared to the follicular phase.
What it means for you
Depression and PMDD often occur together. Women who have been pregnant are at higher risk of postpartum depression. The connection between these conditions suggests shared underlying factors. Limitation: no comparison group of women without PMDD, relatively small sample, cross-sectional design.
78%
with lifetime history of other mental health disorders
29%
mothers with prior postpartum depression
10%
with personality disorders
About the study
- Original title
- Prevalence of axis I and axis II disorders in women with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Pearlstein TB, Frank E, Rivera-Tovar A et al.
- Journal
- Journal of affective disorders
- Year
- 1990
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 78
- What was tested
- None (observational study).
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0165-0327(90)90126-s
Topics
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