---
title: Did premenstrual syndrome have evolutionary advantages? | Niyora
description: This is a theory that PMS might have helped infertile partnerships end in the past, allowing women to find new partners. The theory fits some evidence but is
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/were-there-evolutionary-advantages-to-premenstrual-syndrome-2014/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Did premenstrual syndrome have evolutionary advantages?

Survey study, 2014

# Did premenstrual syndrome have evolutionary advantages?

This is a theory that PMS might have helped infertile partnerships end in the past, allowing women to find new partners. The theory fits some evidence but is not proven.

 Early or limited evidence

Theoretical paper - applies to women generally, noting PMS affects up to 80%

## What they did

Theoretical paper examining an evolutionary hypothesis about PMS. The authors reviewed evidence for four predictions: that PMS has high heritability, gene variants can be identified, anger during PMS targets current partners, and PMS behaviors increase chances of finding new partners.

## What they found

The authors note that PMS affects up to 80% of women and found support for their four predictions. PMS has high heritability, gene variants associated with PMS exist, anger during PMS is directed at current partners, and behaviors during PMS may increase partner-finding chances.

## What it means for you

If this theory is correct, PMS might be a leftover from evolution that was useful in past societies but isn't helpful today. This could help reduce shame about PMS. The main limit is that this is a hypothesis based on reviewing evidence, not new research proving the theory.

80%

of women affected by PMS

## About the study

Original title Were there evolutionary advantages to premenstrual syndrome? Authors Gillings MR Journal Evolutionary applications Year 2014 Study design Survey study What was tested None - theoretical analysis Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/eva.12190](https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12190) Original abstract

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects up to 80% of women, often leading to significant personal, social and economic costs. When apparently maladaptive states are widespread, they sometimes confer a hidden advantage, or did so in our evolutionary past. We suggest that PMS had a selective advantage because it increased the chance that infertile pair bonds would dissolve, thus improving the reproductive outcomes of women in such partnerships. We confirm predictions arising from the hypothesis: PMS has high heritability; gene variants associated with PMS can be identified; animosity exhibited during PMS is preferentially directed at current partners; and behaviours exhibited during PMS may increase the chance of finding a new partner. Under this view, the prevalence of PMS might result from genes and behaviours that are adaptive in some societies, but are potentially less appropriate in modern cultures. Understanding this evolutionary mismatch might help depathologize PMS, and suggests solutions, including the choice to use cycle-stopping contraception.

Reproduced under CC-BY.

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Economic burden](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-economic-burden/)

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

Survey study, 2013

Are menstrual symptoms common in middle-aged women and do they relate to hot flushes?

Survey study, 2025

How do social support and physical activity affect PMS?

Survey study, 2016

Is PMS more severe in urban or rural women and what factors affect severity?

Survey study, 2011

How do women feel about menstruation and does it interfere with daily life?

Cohort study, 2011

What is the economic burden of moderate to severe PMS or PMDD in Latin American women?

Cohort study, 2006

How should severe period pain in teenagers be treated?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗