--- title: How much does PMS reduce a woman's work performance? | Niyora description: Women with severe PMS had work performance drop to 69% of their normal level, compared to 91% for women without severe symptoms. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-association-between-menstrual-symptoms-and-presenteeism-a-cross-sectional-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How much does PMS reduce a woman's work performance? Survey study, 2024 # How much does PMS reduce a woman's work performance? Women with severe PMS had work performance drop to 69% of their normal level, compared to 91% for women without severe symptoms. Early or limited evidence 238 working women in Tokyo, Japan ## What they did Researchers surveyed 312 working women in Tokyo about the severity of their PMS and menstrual symptoms. They measured how much these symptoms affected work performance compared to times when women were not menstruating. ## What they found Of 312 participants, 238 were eligible for analysis. 50% reported severe symptoms in either PMS or during menstruation. Women with severe PMS alone had relative work performance of 69%, those with both severe PMS and severe symptoms during menstruation also had 69%, and those without severe symptoms had 91% performance. ## What it means for you Severe PMS significantly reduces work performance. However, this was a single survey in Tokyo, and the results may not apply to women in other countries or cultures. 69% Work performance with severe PMS 91% Work performance without severe symptoms 50% Prevalence of severe symptoms ## About the study Original title The Association between Menstrual Symptoms and Presenteeism: A Cross-Sectional Study for Women Working in Central Tokyo Authors Okamoto M, Matsumura K, Takahashi A et al. Journal International journal of environmental research and public health Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 312 What was tested None - observational survey Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030313](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21030313) Original abstract Menstrual symptoms lower women's work performance, but to what extent one's performance declines during the perimenstrual periods is unclear. This cross-sectional study evaluated relative presenteeism by the severity of menstrual symptoms in working women. Participants included women who joined a health promotion event in Tokyo. The severity of PMS and symptoms during menstruation were categorized based on their frequency, and the outcome variable was relative presenteeism as the ratio of work performance during the perimenstrual periods to that during the inter-menstrual period. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed. Of the 312 participants, 238 were eligible, 50% of whom claimed severe symptoms in either PMS or during menstruation. Participants were divided into four groups (1) without severe menstrual symptoms, (2) severe PMS alone, (3) severe symptoms during menstruation alone, and (4) both severe PMS and symptoms during menstruation-and the mean relative presenteeism was 91% (standard deviation (SD) 23), 69% (SD 21), 76% (SD 16), and 69% (SD 27), respectively ( p p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that severe PMS alone, as well as both severe PMS and symptoms during menstruation, particularly decreased work performance. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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 Review, 2026 How well do SSRIs treat PMS? Cohort study, 2026 Is PMS becoming more common and more disabling worldwide? Systematic review, 2026 Are hormone levels different in women with PMS? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Randomised trial, 2025 Do essential oils reduce PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗