---
title: Do women attempt self-poisoning at certain times of their menstrual cycle?
description: No clear pattern was found. Women admitted for self-poisoning showed no relation between their menstrual cycle phase and when the attempt occurred.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/self-poisoning-and-the-menstrual-cycle-1986/
---

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- Do women attempt self-poisoning at certain times of their menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 1986

# Do women attempt self-poisoning at certain times of their menstrual cycle?

No clear pattern was found. Women admitted for self-poisoning showed no relation between their menstrual cycle phase and when the attempt occurred.

 Moderate study design

156 women with regular menstruation admitted for self-poisoning

## What they did

Researchers studied 156 women with regular periods who were admitted to a hospital for self-poisoning. They recorded which day of the menstrual cycle each woman was on when admitted.

## What they found

No clear difference was found between the day of the menstrual cycle and whether a self-poisoning attempt occurred. This was true whether the attempts were suicidal or accidental, and regardless of which poison was taken.

## What it means for you

Unlike some earlier research suggested, timing in the menstrual cycle doesn't appear to increase self-poisoning risk. The study was done in one hospital setting, so results may not apply everywhere.

156

women studied

## About the study

Original title Self-poisoning and the menstrual cycle Authors Ekeberg O, Jacobsen D, Sørum Y et al. Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Year 1986 Study design Survey study Participants 156 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1986.tb02680.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1986.tb02680.x)

## Topics

[Suicidality](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-suicidality/)

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