Survey study, 1988
When do different PMS symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle?
Physical symptoms peaked every 28 days in most women. About half showed this pattern for depression, behaviour, tension and concentration symptoms. Physical and tension symptoms tended to come 1-2 days before depression peaked.
What they did
Researchers tracked 5 groups of symptoms (physical, depression, behaviour, tension, and cognitive) over several menstrual cycles in women reporting PMS. They analysed when each symptom group peaked.
What they found
Most women showed 28-day peaks in physical symptoms. Approximately half showed similar peaks for depression, behaviour, tension and cognitive symptoms. When these peaks occurred, physical and tension symptoms typically preceded depression symptoms by approximately 1-2 days.
What it means for you
Physical symptoms may be more reliably tied to the menstrual cycle than mood and concentration symptoms in PMS. The timing difference between physical and mood symptoms suggests they may be connected, but this study cannot explain what causes these patterns or why they happen.
5
symptom groups tracked
28-day
cycle peak pattern
1-2 days
timing difference before mood symptoms
About the study
- Original title
- Temporal sequence of symptoms in women complaining of PMS
- Authors
- Grahame J. Coleman, William George Hart, JON W. RUSSELL
- Journal
- Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Year
- 1988
- Study design
- Survey study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/01674828809075143
Topics
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