---
title: What is the prevalence of PMS among female biomedical students in Kabul, Afghanistan?
description: PMS prevalence was 72.3% based on ICD-10 criteria and 21.1% using ACOG criteria. The difference reflects how PMS is defined.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/prevalence-of-premenstrual-syndrome-pms-among-female-biomedical-students-in-2025/
---

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- What is the prevalence of PMS among female biomedical students in Kabul, Afghanistan?

Survey study, 2025

# What is the prevalence of PMS among female biomedical students in Kabul, Afghanistan?

PMS prevalence was 72.3% based on ICD-10 criteria and 21.1% using ACOG criteria. The difference reflects how PMS is defined.

 Early or limited evidence

285 female biomedical students in Kabul, Afghanistan, mostly aged 21-25 years, single, with mostly regular menstrual cycles.

## What they did

Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted May-September 2024 with 285 female biomedical students in Kabul using stratified random sampling and a standardized questionnaire.

## What they found

Using ICD-10 criteria, 72.3% met the criteria for PMS. Using ACOG criteria, 21.1% met PMS criteria. The most common symptoms were muscle, joint, and back pain (86.8%), fatigue (84.3%), and reduced interest in activities (77.3%). Women with irregular menstrual cycles were significantly more likely to have PMS (p=0.018).

## What it means for you

PMS is very common in female students in Afghanistan, but the prevalence depends on which diagnostic criteria are used. The findings are limited because the study was conducted in only one city with one type of student (biomedical students), so results may not represent all women in Afghanistan.

72.3%

PMS prevalence using ICD-10 diagnostic criteria

21.1%

PMS prevalence using ACOG diagnostic criteria

86.8%

With muscle, joint, or back pain

## About the study

Original title Prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Among Female Biomedical Students in Kabul, Afghanistan: A Cross-Sectional Study Authors Tawakoli MF, Abed A, Sakhi R Journal International journal of women's health Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 285 What was tested None; observational study. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s524839](https://doi.org/10.2147/ijwh.s524839)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)

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.

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