---
title: Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work?
description: Yes. In this case, a woman with severe PMDD symptoms had improvement when treated with leuprorelin acetate and full resolution after surgery to remove her ova
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-multifactorial-aetiology-and-management-of-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2023/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work?

Case report, 2023

# Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work?

Yes. In this case, a woman with severe PMDD symptoms had improvement when treated with leuprorelin acetate and full resolution after surgery to remove her ovaries. This is a single case of very severe PMDD.

 Early or limited evidence

1 multiparous woman in her mid-30s with severe PMDD

## What they did

A woman in her mid-30s with severe PMDD that did not respond to oral contraceptive pills or antidepressants was treated with leuprorelin acetate, a medication that stops ovulation. When symptoms improved but were not fully resolved, she had surgery to remove both ovaries and started hormone replacement therapy.

## What they found

Her PMDD symptoms improved with the medication and completely resolved after the ovary removal surgery. She then continued hormone replacement therapy.

## What it means for you

For women with severe PMDD that does not respond to standard treatments, stopping ovulation might help. This is only one case, and the surgery is major and permanent, so it is only an option for the most severe cases. PMDD has multiple causes and may respond differently to different treatments.

18%

of women experience PMS symptoms

3-8%

of women meet PMDD criteria

1

woman in this case

## About the study

Original title The multifactorial aetiology and management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder with leuprorelin acetate Authors Dunphy L, Boyle S, Wood F Journal BMJ case reports Year 2023 Study design Case report What was tested Leuprorelin acetate, then bilateral oophorectomy and hormone replacement therapy Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-258343](https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-258343)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[Surgical menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-surgery/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)

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

Study, 2026

What treatments work for PMDD?

Study, 2022

What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD?

Cohort study, 2022

What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated?

Review, 2012

Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause?

Review, 2018

How should doctors diagnose and treat PMDD?

Review, 2012

What causes PMS and PMDD?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗