---
title: Are women with PMDD more likely to have experienced trauma in the past?
description: Yes. Across many studies, most women with PMDD reported past traumatic exposure, and they were about twice as likely to have a trauma history as women without
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-prevalence-of-traumatic-exposure-in-women-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-2025/
---

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- Are women with PMDD more likely to have experienced trauma in the past?

Systematic review, 2025

# Are women with PMDD more likely to have experienced trauma in the past?

Yes. Across many studies, most women with PMDD reported past traumatic exposure, and they were about twice as likely to have a trauma history as women without PMDD.

 Moderate study design

Women with PMDD across 27 combined studies worldwide

## What they did

Researchers combined results from 27 earlier studies on PMDD and trauma, using 16 of them to calculate an average rate. This is a systematic review, not a new study on patients.

## What they found

The share of PMDD patients reporting past trauma ranged from 18.03% to 90.5% across studies. Combining the data gave a pooled rate of 61% (95% CI, 46-74%). In studies that compared PMDD patients to a control group, women with PMDD were 1.99 times more likely to report a trauma history.

## What it means for you

Past trauma appears strongly linked to PMDD and may be a risk factor, suggesting doctors should ask about trauma history when assessing PMDD. The main limit is very high variability between studies (I2 = 95%), meaning results differed a lot from one study to another.

61%

Pooled trauma prevalence in PMDD

46-74%

Confidence interval

1.99x

More likely to have trauma history than non-PMDD

## About the study

Original title The prevalence of traumatic exposure in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): a systematic review Authors Grewal JK, Mu E, Li Q et al. Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2025 Study design Systematic review What was tested None (this is a review of existing evidence, not a treatment test) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01536-z](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-024-01536-z)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)

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