Study, 1967
Is attempted suicide linked to when you are in your menstrual cycle?
Hospital records from two large mental hospitals showed psychiatric emergencies and attempted suicide were most common during the first 4 days of menstruation, compared with other times of the cycle.
What they did
Hospital admission records from two large English mental hospitals were analyzed to see when psychiatric emergencies, attempted suicide, and depression occurred during women's menstrual cycles.
What they found
The highest rate of acute psychiatric disturbance, attempted suicide, and depression occurred during the first 4 days of menstruation. The second highest rate was during the 4 premenstrual days, and the third highest was around midcycle.
What it means for you
Hospital-based data can be delayed because it takes time to arrange admission, so the timing in hospital records may not reflect when crises actually happened. A faster way to collect data might show different timing.
4
first menstrual days - highest psychiatric emergencies
4
premenstrual days - second highest emergencies
midcycle
third highest emergencies
About the study
- Original title
- Suicide and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Mandell AJ, Mandell MP
- Journal
- JAMA
- Year
- 1967
- Study design
- Study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1001/jama.1967.03120220094022
Topics
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