---
title: Do premenstrual symptoms affect sexual desire? | Niyora
description: Sexual desire is linked to some premenstrual symptoms, particularly back pain, painful periods, and mood changes. Sexual desire was not clearly linked to othe
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/relationship-between-sexual-desire-and-premenstrual-syndrome-in-young-women-in-2021/
---

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- Do premenstrual symptoms affect sexual desire?

Survey study, 2021

# Do premenstrual symptoms affect sexual desire?

Sexual desire is linked to some premenstrual symptoms, particularly back pain, painful periods, and mood changes. Sexual desire was not clearly linked to other symptoms like headaches or breast tenderness.

 Early or limited evidence

200 young married women in Iraq, ages 17-31

## What they did

A survey of 200 young married women in Iraq (ages 17-31) assessed sexual desire using a standardized inventory and asked about common premenstrual symptoms.

## What they found

Sexual desire was significantly linked to back pain, painful periods, and mood instability. Sexual desire was not significantly linked to breast tenderness, headaches, irritability, sadness, feeling alone, bloating, vaginal pain, or vaginal dryness.

## What it means for you

Some premenstrual symptoms may affect sexual desire, particularly those that cause pain or mood changes. Other symptoms do not appear to affect sexual desire in this population. The study only included married women in Iraq, so findings may not apply to single women or women in other countries. The study cannot prove symptoms cause changes in sexual desire, only that they are linked.

200

women in study

17-31

age range of participants

3

symptom types linked to sexual desire

## About the study

Original title Relationship between sexual desire and premenstrual syndrome in young women in Iraq Authors Miaad Jasim Mohammed Journal Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 200 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v15i1.13591](https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v15i1.13591)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Libido and sexual function](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sexual-function/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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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