---
title: How well do SSRIs work for treating PMS and PMDD? | Niyora
description: SSRIs are recommended as a first treatment option by Dutch guidelines when lifestyle changes have not worked well enough, usually used alongside oral contrace
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/ssris-for-pms-and-pmdd-2025/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- How well do SSRIs work for treating PMS and PMDD?

Study, 2025

# How well do SSRIs work for treating PMS and PMDD?

SSRIs are recommended as a first treatment option by Dutch guidelines when lifestyle changes have not worked well enough, usually used alongside oral contraceptives.

 Early or limited evidence

People with PMS and PMDD

## What they did

This article reviews treatment recommendations for PMS and PMDD from the Dutch Society for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, including when to use SSRIs and oral contraceptives.

## What they found

According to the Dutch guidelines, SSRIs are a first treatment option for PMS and PMDD when various lifestyle recommendations have been tried and turned out to be not or insufficiently effective. They are often used alongside oral contraceptives. The article discusses SSRIs and their intermittent use during the luteal phase.

## What it means for you

SSRIs are considered a main medical treatment choice for PMS and PMDD by Dutch guidelines when lifestyle approaches don't work. A limit is that this is a summary of guidelines, not a study showing how well SSRIs actually work in real people.

## About the study

Original title SSRIs for PMS and PMDD Authors RW van der Zanden Journal Geneesmiddelenbulletin Year 2025 Study design Study What was tested SSRI treatment and oral contraceptive options Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.35351/gebu.2025.8.22](https://doi.org/10.35351/gebu.2025.8.22)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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

Systematic review, 2024

What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS?

Review, 2024

What are the most effective treatments for PMDD?

Guideline, 2023

How are GnRH agonists used to treat PMDD that doesn't respond to standard medications?

Systematic review, 2022

What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS?

Review, 2018

What are the most effective treatments for premenstrual syndrome and PMDD?

Review, 2018

What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗