---
title: Do IBS symptoms change across the menstrual cycle and vary by contraceptive use?
description: Women with IBS have higher symptom severity than controls, and symptoms vary by menstrual cycle phase and bowel pattern type. Oral contraceptive use did not s
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/symptoms-across-the-menstrual-cycle-in-women-with-irritable-bowel-syndrome-2003/
---

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- Do IBS symptoms change across the menstrual cycle and vary by contraceptive use?

Case-control study, 2003

# Do IBS symptoms change across the menstrual cycle and vary by contraceptive use?

Women with IBS have higher symptom severity than controls, and symptoms vary by menstrual cycle phase and bowel pattern type. Oral contraceptive use did not significantly change most IBS symptoms.

 Moderate study design

Women with IBS and control women (sample size not specified)

## What they did

Case-control study. Women with IBS and control women kept daily symptom diaries across one menstrual cycle. Researchers compared symptom patterns by oral contraceptive use and bowel pattern type (diarrhea, constipation, or alternating). Analysis controlled for age and body mass index.

## What they found

Women with IBS had higher symptom severity than controls for GI, somatic, and psychological symptoms. The alternating bowel pattern group had the highest symptom severity, and the diarrhea group had the lowest. The strongest menstrual cycle effects were in somatic and menstrual symptoms. Oral contraceptive use did not significantly change the pattern of symptoms across the menstrual cycle.

## What it means for you

Women with IBS may experience worsening symptoms at different cycle phases depending on their bowel pattern type. This is a single study over one cycle, and sample size is not reported, so findings would need replication in larger groups.

1

menstrual cycle (study duration)

## About the study

Original title Symptoms across the menstrual cycle in women with irritable bowel syndrome Authors Heitkemper MM, Cain KC, Jarrett ME et al. Journal The American journal of gastroenterology Year 2003 Study design Case-control study What was tested Oral contraceptive use (observed, not assigned) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2003.07233.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2003.07233.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[IBS and gut symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ibs-gi/)

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