---
title: Stigma, attitudes and culture: 550 studies, explained | Niyora
description: 550 studies on stigma, attitudes and culture and PMS or PMDD, each summarised in plain English: what was tested, who took part, what they found and what it me
url: https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/
---

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- Stigma, attitudes and culture

# Stigma, attitudes and culture: what the research says

550 studies on stigma, attitudes and culture in PMS and PMDD, each explained in plain English. 12 of them use the strongest designs: randomised trials and systematic reviews.

Survey study 328

Study 50

Interview study 45

Non-randomised trial 30

Randomised trial 21

Review 19

Systematic review, 2026

Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD?

Digital tools show promise for diagnosing PMDD by helping you track symptoms, but most need more testing and better integration with healthcare systems before they're widely used.

Case-control study, 2026

Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle?

Yes. Women with PMS tend to use emotion coping strategies that make symptoms worse (like dwelling on negative thoughts) and fewer strategies that help (like accepting difficult thoughts). These patterns change across the menstrual cycle.

Systematic review, 2025

Does how well women think change throughout their menstrual cycle?

No. Across 3,943 women in 102 studies with 730 comparisons, there was no clear evidence that thinking, memory, creativity, problem-solving, coordination, spatial ability, or verbal ability changed across the menstrual cycle.

Systematic review, 2025

Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS?

Yes. A systematic review of five good-quality studies shows that psychoeducation (structured teaching) significantly reduced period pain and PMS symptoms and improved emotional wellbeing in adolescent girls.

Cohort study, 2023

Is PMDD a valid medical diagnosis?

Yes. PMDD is recognized by the World Health Organization and American Psychiatric Association as a distinct medical diagnosis. Evidence suggests it has real neurobiological basis, though more biological research is still needed to fully understand it.

Systematic review, 2012

Does the menstrual cycle cause negative mood, especially before your period?

Most studies found no link between the menstrual cycle and negative mood. Only 14.9 percent found negative mood linked specifically to the premenstrual phase, challenging the widespread belief in a premenstrual mood syndrome.

Survey study, 2011

What premenstrual symptoms do women experience around the world and how much do they affect daily life?

The most common symptoms are abdominal bloating, cramps, irritability, breast tenderness, and muscle or back pain. Physical and mental symptoms have similar effects on daily activities.

Randomised trial, 2006

What herbs and dietary supplements have evidence for treating premenstrual syndrome?

A review of research found that calcium, vitamin B6, and chasteberry have the strongest evidence from clinical trials for treating premenstrual syndrome.

Randomised trial, 2000

How should PMDD be diagnosed and treated?

PMDD is a distinct condition from regular PMS, characterized by mood symptoms like irritability and anger. SSRIs taken daily or only during the menstrual cycle are first-line treatment and work very well with minimal side effects.

Cohort study, 1999

What causes negative mood during menopause?

The menopause transition itself and hormone levels do not directly cause negative mood. Instead, past premenstrual problems, negative attitudes to aging, life stress, health problems, smoking, low exercise, and relationship issues are the main causes.

Review, 1995

What causes PMS?

We don't know what causes PMS yet. It likely involves hormones, brain chemicals, and stress, but doctors and researchers are still studying it.

Review, 1989

Are mental health conditions linked to the reproductive cycle?

Psychiatric disorders like PMS and postpartum depression are linked to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. But research on PMS is still early and many questions remain.

Survey study, 2026

Does the French version of the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire work reliably?

Yes. The French version is reliable and valid for measuring menstrual distress in French-speaking women, though French women reported higher symptom scores than English and Italian versions, particularly about period bleeding.

Study, 2026

What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms?

Many strategies help manage PMS: psychological and behavioral changes, lifestyle modifications, and complementary methods like yoga and meditation. Programs combining counseling, education, and lifestyle changes work best and have few side effects.

Interview study, 2026

What prevents women from seeking doctor's help for PMS?

The biggest barrier is fear that doctors will not take symptoms seriously or will dismiss them. Lack of awareness about whether symptoms are serious enough and whether treatments work also prevents help-seeking.

Study, 2026

What do women in Lahore know about PMDD and do they seek help for it?

About 1 in 10 women in this group had PMDD, and about half understood it well. Although most women had positive attitudes toward treatment, most did not actually see a doctor about it.

Cohort study, 2026

Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do?

No. In active women, daily physical activity remained stable across all menstrual cycle phases (around 50 minutes per day), even when premenstrual symptoms were present.

Case-control study, 2026

How do thinking, mood, and work change across the cycle in women with and without period pain?

Women with period pain experienced challenges in mood, work performance, and self-esteem that extended beyond the pain itself. Thinking and memory skills did not show clear differences between women with and without period pain.

Interview study, 2026

What is healthcare like for women with PMDD in Australia?

Most women see many doctors before getting diagnosed, more than half experience medical gaslighting and misdiagnosis, and only 19% receive the proper diagnostic tests. Getting a correct diagnosis helps women feel less confused about themselves.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does yoga or foot reflexology work better for teenage PMS?

Yes, both work. Yoga reduced PMS scores by 24.27 points and foot reflexology by 18.25 points, with yoga being significantly better.

Review, 2026

How do social factors like stigma and unequal care responsibilities affect premenstrual symptoms?

This review shows that PMS and PMDD arise from both biology and social context. Menstrual stigma, unequal care work, violence, financial dependence, and healthcare bias all shape how symptoms develop and whether women get help.

Survey study, 2026

Do how you think about your period and how you manage emotions affect PMS and PMDD?

Yes. How you view your period and whether you reframe difficult thoughts (cognitive reappraisal) matter. Women who reframe thoughts had less distress, while those who suppress feelings and deny menstrual impact had more.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does acceptance and commitment therapy help women with PMS manage emotions and unhelpful thoughts?

Yes. Eight weeks of acceptance and commitment therapy improved emotional regulation and reduced unhelpful thought patterns in women with PMS, with benefits lasting at least 2 months after treatment.

Survey study, 2026

Is the German Menstrual Distress Questionnaire a reliable tool?

Yes, the German version is reliable and valid for measuring menstrual distress. 36.4% of women in the study scored above the threshold for significant distress.

Cohort study, 2026

How do beliefs about control and ways of handling emotions affect distress before your period?

Women who believed their premenstrual period was uncontrollable experienced stronger increases in distress before their period. Their general ways of handling emotions were linked to overall distress throughout the cycle rather than specifically to increases before the period.

Survey study, 2026

Is the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool valid in Serbian?

Yes. The Serbian version works well and is reliable. All items measured what they were supposed to measure.

Randomised trial, 2025

Does asking about positive experiences change how women report premenstrual symptoms?

Yes, when asked about both negative and positive experiences, women reported 62 to 64 percent less negative descriptions and mentioned positive experiences like increased sex drive and energy not mentioned otherwise.

Survey study, 2025

Is a negative attitude toward menstruation linked to worse PMS symptoms?

Yes. Girls with a negative attitude toward menstruation were 31% more likely to report severe PMS than those with positive attitudes. Culture, family structure, religion, and maternal education also affect both attitudes and PMS severity.

Systematic review, 2025

What stops people with PMDD from being diagnosed and treated?

Many barriers prevent PMDD diagnosis and treatment, including stigma and shame, lack of doctor knowledge, cultural beliefs about menstruation, and fragmented healthcare systems. Improving care requires addressing all these levels at once, not just one.

Survey study, 2025

Is the Chinese uncertainty anxiety scale reliable for measuring PMS-related anxiety?

Yes. The scale is reliable and valid for measuring how much women with PMS struggle with uncertainty and worry. This helps identify psychological problems in this group.

Survey study, 2025

Does menstruation affect how well women perform at work?

Yes. On days when women were menstruating, they reported lower ability to control their emotions and regulate themselves, which led to worse task performance, less helping of colleagues, and more withdrawing from work. Pain made this effect stronger.

Cohort study, 2025

How has PMS burden changed worldwide from 1990 to 2021?

The global burden of PMS increased from 1990 to 2021. The burden is heaviest in poorer regions, where the real numbers may be much higher than recorded.

Survey study, 2025

Are food cravings and hedonic hunger linked to PMS?

Yes. Students with PMS had higher scores on hedonic hunger (eating for pleasure, not fuel) and food cravings. These were linked to emotional eating and to the severity of PMS symptoms.

Survey study, 2025

What do adolescent girls in Pakistan know and think about PMS?

Most know PMS exists but many don't understand its symptoms or how to manage it. Only 35% correctly linked symptoms to PMS, though 63% saw it as a normal part of menstruation.

Survey study, 2025

How much do women in Shimla know about PMS and how does it affect their lives?

Many women (71%) say lifestyle changes help manage PMS, and most recognize common symptoms. However, only 45.8% feel comfortable discussing PMS at school or work, showing that stigma limits open conversation.

Survey study, 2025

What psychological and personal factors predict which university students will develop premenstrual syndrome?

High anger, low social support, childhood trauma, high stress, negative attitudes toward menstruation, and poor satisfaction with gender roles all predict PMS. However, results are limited to university students in one country.

Survey study, 2025

How common is PMS among women in urban Pakistan?

PMS is very common. 52% of women in this study had PMS. Physical symptoms like back pain were most prevalent, followed by mood changes.

Survey study, 2025

How common are PMS and painful periods among female medical students in Saudi Arabia, and what causes them?

Both are very common - 78.33% have PMS and 75.67% have painful periods. Young age, not being married, stress, fatty foods, and coffee drinking increase the risk.

Study, 2025

Do women with PMDD who experienced childhood trauma have more trouble recognizing emotions?

Yes. Women with PMDD who experienced childhood trauma, especially physical or sexual abuse, had significant difficulty recognizing emotions compared to women with PMDD who were not traumatized.

Survey study, 2025

Does the premenstrual period explain why evening-type sleep patterns cause more sleep schedule mismatch?

No. Evening-type sleep patterns were linked to worse sleep schedule mismatch, but premenstrual symptoms did not explain this connection.

Study, 2025

Do social workers know about PMS and PMDD, and do they ask mothers about these problems?

Most of the 521 social workers surveyed had little knowledge of PMS and PMDD even though many had experienced it themselves, and the 16 interviewed said they did not ask mothers about it even though they thought they should.

Survey study, 2024

Does a psychosomatic relaxation package help adolescent girls with PMS?

Yes, the relaxation package significantly increased knowledge (p=0.001), reduced symptom experience (p=0.001), and improved lifestyle practices (p=0.001) compared to routine care. Certainty is moderate.

Survey study, 2024

How much do Indonesian 9th graders know about PMS and what are their attitudes?

Most girls (56.25%) had a positive attitude toward PMS, but only 15.6% showed good knowledge about managing it.

Survey study, 2024

Which lifestyle choices affect PMS symptoms?

Depression was strongly linked to worse PMS symptoms, but exercise and relaxation showed no significant link. However, this was a snapshot survey that cannot prove depression causes PMS.

Systematic review, 2024

Do women with PMS or PMDD have disrupted body clocks and sleep?

Yes, the evidence so far suggests women with PMS/PMDD tend to have lower melatonin, higher nighttime body temperature, and worse sleep quality, but many other measures are mixed or show no difference, so this is not fully settled.

Survey study, 2024

What attitudes do women have about menstruation and what affects these attitudes?

Women view their periods as natural, bothersome, or shameful depending on their personal history and current experiences, including how they felt at menarche, menstrual pain, contraceptive use, body image, and comfort with sexuality.

Study, 2024

Does how well women think and process information change across their menstrual cycle?

No. Across three separate well-designed studies, women's thinking skills remained stable across menstrual cycle phases even though hormone levels changed substantially.

Survey study, 2024

How common is premenstrual syndrome among healthcare workers?

Just over half of healthcare workers had PMS, with the condition significantly linked to sleep habits, diet, physical activity, and BMI.

Randomised trial, 2024

Can group counseling focused on positive psychology reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women who attended six online counseling sessions focusing on positive psychology had significantly lower PMS symptoms immediately and two months later compared to a control group.

Survey study, 2024

Does education about PMS help couples' satisfaction and adjustment?

Yes. Couples who received education about PMS together showed significantly better marital satisfaction and adjustment compared to couples who received no education.

Non-randomised trial, 2023

Does education about healthy lifestyle reduce PMS symptoms in high school girls?

Yes. High school girls who received four educational sessions about PMS and healthy lifestyle had fewer PMS symptoms and better health beliefs than the control group at three months.

Survey study, 2023

What factors make premenstrual syndrome worse in nursing students?

The study found that PMS is linked to menstrual pain, poor sleep, neuroticism (a personality trait), and stress. These factors together explain about 44% of why some students have worse PMS than others.

Survey study, 2023

Is PMDD diagnosis associated with more severe depression and anxiety and lower well-being?

Yes. Women with probable PMDD had significantly higher depression and anxiety symptoms and lower well-being compared to those without PMDD, regardless of their menstrual cycle phase.

Survey study, 2023

What factors make PMS worse in college students?

Depression, stress, sleep problems, and eating attitude problems are all linked to worse PMS. Most students had symptoms severe enough to be called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Survey study, 2022

How much do nursing students know about PMS and how well do they cope with it?

In this study of 100 nursing students, most had moderate knowledge about PMS and good ways of coping with it. There was a clear connection between understanding PMS better and coping with it better.

Survey study, 2022

Do women with premenstrual syndrome think differently than women without it?

Women with PMS think differently in some ways than women without symptoms, but not as drastically as women with depression. Women with both PMS and depression have the most distorted thinking patterns.

Randomised trial, 2022

Does online counselling using cognitive-behavioral techniques help PMS symptoms?

This abstract is a data description and does not report the study results.

Randomised trial, 2022

Does emotion-focused group therapy help women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Yes. Emotion-focused group therapy significantly improved pain, self-compassion, sexual function, and reduced couple burnout. The effects were large and consistent across all measured areas.

Case-control study, 2022

Does how women think about their period affect how their nervous system responds to stress?

Yes. How women view their period (as bothersome or predictable) affects their nervous system response. Women with PMS also show delayed recovery from stress during the premenstrual period.

Survey study, 2022

Do female athletes get enough knowledge and support about their period?

No. Most lack knowledge and rarely discuss menstrual health with coaches. 81% said it is taboo in sports.

Survey study, 2022

Do different healthcare providers differ in recognizing and treating PMDD?

Yes. Gynecologists and psychiatrists were rated highest for awareness and knowledge of PMDD. Psychotherapists were rated highest for interpersonal skills. Gynecologists were most likely to ask patients to track their symptoms daily. Different providers have different strengths.

Survey study, 2022

Do menstrual cycles and birth control affect female athletes' training and performance?

Most female athletes experience menstrual symptoms like period pain and premenstrual syndrome that affect how they perceive their performance. Only 18% plan their training around these issues.

Interview study, 2022

Can a new 33-item questionnaire reliably measure premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms?

Yes, this new screening tool shows strong reliability and validity for measuring PMDD symptoms and can categorize women by severity. It could help doctors diagnose PMDD faster when they have time constraints, though it has only been tested on one type of population so far.

Non-randomised trial, 2021

Does teaching girls about PMS improve their knowledge?

Yes. Knowledge about PMS increased from 24.1% to 56.3% in girls who received the educational program, while the comparison group showed no improvement.

Study, 2021

How do PMS symptoms and attitudes toward menstruation affect quality of life?

Both PMS symptoms and negative attitudes toward menstruation were linked to lower quality of life. PMS symptoms had a stronger connection to quality of life than menstrual attitude did. Regular exercise was linked to better quality of life.

Survey study, 2021

Do female military officers want to suppress their periods during training?

Yes, about half wanted to stop periods during training, mainly to avoid worrying about supplies and the inconvenience. However, 37% disagreed, and most didn't report that training made their PMS worse.

Guideline, 2021

How do premenstrual symptoms affect women's work performance and attendance?

Very significantly. Over 90% of the women surveyed reported some premenstrual symptoms, and 40% experienced them moderately or severely. Those with severe symptoms were more likely to be absent from work, arrive late, or leave early.

Randomised trial, 2021

Does education and acupressure help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life?

Yes. Women who received health belief model-based education and acupressure, or education alone, both showed significant improvements in PMS symptoms and quality of life compared to a control group.

Survey study, 2021

At what age do teenage girls first notice premenstrual symptoms?

Most girls first noticed PMS around age 15, about 2 years after their first period. Girls who started their period earlier were slightly less likely to develop PMS later.

Non-randomised trial, 2020

Does an educational program improve girls' knowledge about PMS?

Yes, an educational program significantly improved secondary school female students' knowledge about PMS compared to a control group (P≤0.01), with improvements sustained at a second follow-up test.

Survey study, 2020

Do rural and urban adolescent girls have different menstrual cycle patterns?

Yes, significantly. Rural and urban girls differ in period pain, PMS symptoms, menstrual flow, and practices. Rural girls also know less about their menstrual cycles.

Survey study, 2020

How many adolescent girls have PMS, and does teaching them about it help?

More than 50% of adolescent girls have PMS. Most girls lack knowledge about what PMS is, but educational programs significantly improve their knowledge.

Survey study, 2020

Are negative feelings about fairness and menstruation linked to stronger premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Women who feel their suffering from menstruation is unfair, and those with negative views of menstruation, report stronger premenstrual symptoms. The connections are clear.

Randomised trial, 2020

Does health education help women cope with PMS?

Yes, a health education programme significantly reduced PMS symptoms more than no education. Women who received the education had much lower symptom scores by the second and third months.

Case-control study, 2019

Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's brains process emotions?

Women's brain activity during emotion processing changes with menstrual cycle phase. In the late-luteal phase, women showed reduced reward processing, less enjoyment, and more sadness compared to the mid-follicular phase and compared to men.

Survey study, 2018

Does how women feel about their period relate to how severe their PMS is?

Yes. Women with negative attitudes toward menstruation had more intense PMS symptoms.

Survey study, 2018

Does what or how adolescents eat matter for PMS?

How adolescents eat matters more than what they eat. Those with PMS are more likely to have disordered eating behaviors like emotional eating, but their actual diet is the same as those without PMS.

Randomised trial, 2018

Does reading information about negative premenstrual changes make women report more negative symptoms?

Yes. Women who read text focusing only on negative changes reported significantly more negative and fewer positive premenstrual changes than those who read balanced information or no information.

Survey study, 2018

Does how women think about menstruation affect their PMS symptoms?

Yes, women who view menstruation as debilitating or bothersome reported more PMS symptoms than those with more positive views.

Survey study, 2017

Does teaching about PMS improve girls' knowledge about how to manage it?

Yes. After a structured teaching program, many more adolescent girls had good knowledge about PMS and its management than before the program.

Non-randomised trial, 2017

Does education based on the health belief model help adolescents prevent premenstrual syndrome?

Yes, four lecture sessions significantly increased knowledge and preventive behaviors compared to no education (P<0.001). The study measured behavior change rather than symptom reduction.

Randomised trial, 2017

Can couples therapy help with severe PMS or PMDD more than individual therapy alone?

Yes. Both one-to-one and couple-based CBT reduced premenstrual symptoms and distress compared to a wait-list control, and couple-based CBT added extra benefits for coping skills and relationship quality. This comes from a moderate-sized randomised trial, so results are promising but not definitive.

Lab study, 2017

Does teaching teenage girls about PMS through peer education increase their knowledge?

Yes, peer group education increased girls' knowledge about PMS management. This approach let girls discuss and share information openly with their peers.

Survey study, 2017

Does asthma get worse before your period?

Some women report asthma that worsens before their period, but research has not proven this happens consistently or identified what causes it. Different studies measured this so differently that no clear conclusion can be drawn.

Survey study, 2017

Do girls with clinically significant PMS have worse quality of life than those without it?

Yes. Girls with clinically significant PMS reported much worse overall quality of life. While 12% had poor quality of life in the PMS group, none did in the group without PMS.

Cohort study, 2017

How does stress relate to premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Perceived stress and stress from adjusting to a new culture were the strongest links to symptom severity in Korean international students. In Korean domestic students, a history of sexual abuse was the strongest link.

Non-randomised trial, 2017

Does teaching girls about PMS help them prevent symptoms?

Yes. Girls who received four education sessions about PMS showed significant improvements in knowledge and preventive behaviors compared to a control group.

Survey study, 2016

How do women use complementary and alternative medicine for menstrual pain?

Many women use it, especially herbal remedies and supplements, usually without a healthcare provider's guidance. Most women think these treatments work, but there is limited scientific evidence about how well they actually do.

Cohort study, 2016

Does stress affect premenstrual symptoms in students?

Yes, stress is connected to premenstrual symptoms. In international students, depression explained part of this connection. In domestic students, having social support protected against stress affecting symptoms.

Guideline, 2016

Can education improve understanding and management of PMS in blind teenage girls?

Yes. After receiving an educational guideline about PMS, blind adolescent girls showed significant improvements in knowledge, daily care practices, and pain and anxiety relief.

Survey study, 2015

Are neck problems linked to migraines during menstrual periods?

Yes. Women with perimenstrual migraines had more neck problems including reduced movement, tight muscles, and muscle tenderness. Tight muscles, reduced nerve flexibility, and upper spine stiffness were associated with notably higher migraine risk.

Survey study, 2015

How common is PMS and other menstrual problems in teenage girls?

Very common. 95% of girls who completed the survey reported some menstrual disorder, and 65% had PMS symptoms.

Survey study, 2015

What helps high school girls manage premenstrual symptoms?

Understanding how your body and mood change during your menstrual cycle helps reduce premenstrual distress. Family support and understanding also help reduce symptoms.

Survey study, 2015

Does evidence-based nursing management reduce PMS severity?

Yes. Women who received evidence-based nursing management for 3 months (3 menstrual cycles) had statistically significant reductions in symptom severity.

Survey study, 2015

Is PMS related to sleep quality and attitudes about periods?

Yes. Women with worse PMS symptoms had worse sleep quality and more negative attitudes about their periods. The associations were statistically significant.

Survey study, 2014

Does the age when girls start their period affect how they feel about menstruation?

Yes, girls who started their period before age 11 felt less prepared and had more negative feelings about it compared to girls who started at later ages. They felt scared, worried, and sad, and were more likely to keep it secret.

Survey study, 2014

Do PMS symptoms differ by race and ethnicity?

Yes. Chinese women reported significantly fewer PMS symptoms than Caucasian and African-American women in this study, particularly fewer mood changes and pain.

Study, 2014

What personality traits are linked to PMS?

Women with PMS tend to worry more about controlling their emotions. They often think of themselves as two different people, their real self and their PMS self. Those who suppress their true feelings or are perfectionists are especially likely to have this worry about control.

Interview study, 2014

How do women cope with premenstrual distress?

Researchers developed the Premenstrual Coping Measure, a valid tool that identifies five main ways women cope with negative premenstrual change: avoiding harm, accepting the changes, adjusting energy, self-care, and communicating. The scale showed good reliability.

Randomised trial, 2013

Does information about relaxation help adolescents decide to use it for PMS?

Yes. Both detailed and general information about relaxation helped adolescents decide to try it more than no information. Detailed information was slightly more effective, though the difference was not statistically significant.

Survey study, 2012

Do girls feel more prepared and positive about menstruation if they talk with their mother about it?

Yes. Girls who discussed the emotional side of menstruation with their mothers were much more likely to feel prepared. Feeling prepared was linked to having more positive attitudes about menstruation.

Survey study, 2012

Do women want to stop or reduce their periods?

Yes. In this survey of 1,111 Brazilian women, 64.3% said they disliked menstruation. The majority wanted to use contraceptives to reduce or stop bleeding completely.

Cohort study, 2011

Do Spanish women seek medical advice for premenstrual symptoms?

About three-quarters of Spanish women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 18.7% seek medical advice. Most did not seek help because they thought symptoms were normal.

Survey study, 2011

How do teenage girls feel about menstruation and premenstrual symptoms?

Most teenage girls experience premenstrual symptoms (63%) and view them as normal (61%). Girls with more severe symptoms are more likely to seek medical help.

Survey study, 2011

How common are premenstrual symptoms in Pakistani women and how much do they affect daily life?

Premenstrual symptoms are very common, with 5.5% to 79.9% diagnosed depending on the classification system used. 98.8% of women were unaware they had a recognized condition. More severe symptoms strongly predicted whether women sought medical help.

Survey study, 2011

How common is PMS in working women, and do they know about it?

Between 38% and 74% of working women have PMS depending on which diagnostic criteria are used. Most women did not know what PMS was and rarely saw doctors about it.

Survey study, 2011

Does mindfulness help with premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Women who scored higher on mindfulness measures reported fewer premenstrual symptoms. Mindfulness also reduced how much negative attitudes about menstruation affected symptom reporting.

Case-control study, 2010

Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women?

Yes. Women with PMDD had higher cravings for sweet, fatty foods, especially during the luteal phase. This was linked to their greater sensitivity to food rewards and emotional response to food.

Survey study, 2010

How much does PMS affect the daily lives of Korean women?

PMS is extremely common in Korean women, with 32% meeting clinical criteria for PMS, and it significantly disrupts daily activities. However, almost none of the women knew what PMS or PMDD was or sought medical help for it.

Survey study, 2009

What premenstrual and menstrual symptoms do Chinese women experience?

About 18.6% to 34.2% of Chinese women reported 10 or more menstrual symptoms, showing that PMS is common in Chinese women at similar rates to Western populations.

Survey study, 2009

What premenstrual symptoms do Nigerian university women have and what factors are linked to them?

About half of Nigerian university women had premenstrual symptoms at rates similar to Western countries, with breast tenderness being the most common symptom.

Survey study, 2009

Does PMS affect sports performance in female athletes?

About half of female soccer athletes (47.32%) had PMS, and those with PMS felt their sports performance was noticeably affected. Athletes with more symptoms reported greater impact.

Case-control study, 2009

How common is irritable bowel syndrome in Korean teenage girls and what causes it?

One in four Korean teenage girls has IBS. Stress, anxiety, and depression were strongly linked to IBS, with depression showing the strongest connection.

Survey study, 2008

What factors are linked to PMS in Thai nurses?

Coffee consumption and having a negative attitude toward menstruation are the strongest factors linked to PMS in this group. 25.1% of Thai nurses have PMS.

Case-control study, 2006

Are irregular menstrual cycles linked to eating disorder risk in female athletes?

Yes. Female athletes with irregular cycles had higher eating disorder risk than athletes with regular cycles. Non-athletes showed no such link.

Survey study, 2006

What menstrual problems do adolescent girls experience?

Most adolescent girls in Malaysia experience premenstrual syndrome (74.6 percent) or painful periods (69.4 percent). More than one-third have irregular cycle lengths, but few seek medical care.

Survey study, 2006

How common is PMS in teenage girls in the UAE and how much does it affect them?

PMS affects 16.4% of teenage schoolgirls in the UAE and seriously impacts their school performance, social interactions, and emotional wellbeing.

Case report, 2006

Is holding back your feelings related to worse PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women with PMS who suppress their feelings or try to fit traditional ideas of femininity experienced more premenstrual distress. Women with PMS had higher anxiety than the general population.

Study, 2002

Does how women perceive men change during the menstrual cycle?

Yes. During the high-fertility phase of the cycle, women showed an enhanced ability to notice male characteristics and remember stereotypical information about men.

Case-control study, 2000

Do eating habits change differently before the period in obese versus non-obese women?

Yes. Both groups show increases in binge-eating symptoms before their period, but the cause differs: in non-obese women, eating changes correlate with mood symptoms, while in obese women they correlate with physical symptoms.

Survey study, 2000

How does PMS severity affect whether women seek treatment for PMS?

PMS severity matters for how much it interferes with life, but many women with severe PMS don't seek treatment. About 4.9 percent report severe symptoms, while 11.3 percent meet criteria for PMDD. Women who do seek help are typically older and have symptoms in most cycles.

Survey study, 1999

How much do premenstrual symptoms affect women's work and daily life?

Premenstrual symptoms significantly affect daily life and work. About 80% of women report irritability, fatigue, and bloating. Over half of working women report some impact on work. Nearly three-quarters have never sought treatment, even though effective medicines exist.

Survey study, 1998

How common is PMS and what treatments do women use?

41% of US women said they had PMS, and an additional 17% experienced PMS symptoms without labeling them as PMS. Of those with symptoms, 42% used medication, mostly over-the-counter drugs; most who tried complementary therapy like exercise found it helpful.

Cohort study, 1998

How many Icelandic women actually experience premenstrual syndrome when tracked with daily diaries?

Only 2.4% showed a clear premenstrual syndrome pattern. This was much lower than a previous study that relied on memory, showing that daily tracking gives different results than asking women to remember.

Survey study, 1997

Does education about PMS help reduce symptoms?

Yes. Women who received 8 weeks of education showed clear improvements in knowledge about PMS, how well they cared for themselves, and their actual symptoms. Women who didn't receive education showed no change.

Study, 1995

Do women who exercise have fewer PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women who exercise regularly experience better mood and fewer symptoms before and during their period compared to sedentary women. However, competitive athletes did not show this benefit.

Survey study, 1993

How common are period-related symptoms in Italian women, and do they differ from American women?

Period-related symptoms are common in Italian women, occurring most often during the menstrual phase. Italian women reported more symptoms overall than American women, though the difference was smaller for premenstrual symptoms.

Cohort study, 1992

Do women with premenstrual syndrome experience their family and work environments differently?

Yes. Women with PMS reported more conflict in their families and more stress at work, including less autonomy and variety, though psychological distress was not related to these environmental stressors.

Case-control study, 1992

Can a mother's PMS affect whether her daughter gets PMS?

Daughters of mothers with PMS are much more likely to have PMS themselves. 79% of daughters whose mothers had PMS got symptoms, compared to only 18% of daughters whose mothers did not have PMS.

Randomised trial, 1991

Does knowing you are studied about your cycle change what you report?

Women who knew they were being studied reported normal premenstrual and menstrual experiences similar to men, while women who did not know reported slightly lower well-being than men during the premenstrual phase. The study was small.

Case-control study, 1991

How common are premenstrual symptoms in teenage girls, and what factors affect them?

80% of teenage girls had at least one premenstrual symptom, with 25% experiencing pain that severely interfered with daily activities. Symptoms varied by ethnic background and smoking.

Study, 1990

Do religious beliefs affect how bothersome your period feels or how severe your symptoms are?

Religious background affected whether women thought their period was bothersome, but it did not clearly change how severe their actual symptoms were. Attitudes about menstruation differed by religion, but physical symptoms did not differ much.

Survey study, 1990

What are the main types of premenstrual symptoms women experience?

A study of 702 Dutch women identified four main symptom types: negative mood, concentration problems, pain, and water retention. This shows that psychological symptoms are as important as physical ones in premenstrual syndrome.

Survey study, 1990

What do we know about what causes PMS and how common it is?

A literature review found PMS affects 30 to 40% of women, especially those who work outside the home, have had multiple children, or use alcohol. Many theories about causes exist, but none are proven.

Survey study, 1989

What does research say about what causes PMS and what treatments work?

A review of PMS research found no definitive cause and no universally effective treatment. Lifestyle approaches like diet, exercise, and support help many women, while some medications like alprazolam and mefenamic acid help some, but progesterone therapy is ineffective.

Study, 1989

Do women with anxiety report more premenstrual symptoms?

Women with anxiety reported more total symptoms before their period than women without anxiety, though both groups reported similar amounts of PMS overall. The difference was in their beliefs and attitudes rather than in the actual severity of symptoms.

Randomised trial, 1988

What causes PMS and what are the treatment options?

The cause of PMS remains unknown, though leading theories involve prostaglandins, endorphins, or progesterone deficiency. Treatments include education, diet, exercise, and various medications. Most people with PMS can be helped.

Survey study, 1986

How much do premenstrual symptoms interfere with women's daily activities?

Significantly. In a survey of 219 women, 76% reported premenstrual symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities every month. Relationships with family and friends were affected most, and work affected least.

Survey study, 1985

Do stress and how you were raised affect premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Stress and traditional upbringing both influence premenstrual symptoms, especially mood changes. Mood changes appear to be the most important cause of premenstrual disability.

Study, 1984

Do women with PMS actually gain weight or bloat, or is it just how they feel?

Women with PMS report feeling bloated during the premenstrual phase, but actual body weight and body measurements do not increase. The sensation appears to be a change in how women perceive their bodies, not an actual physical change.

Survey study, 2026

Do teenage girls understand premenstrual syndrome?

More than half (53.3%) of 60 girls aged 15-17 demonstrated adequate knowledge of PMS. Family income was associated with knowledge level, but age and religion were not.

Survey study, 2026

What attitudes do nursing students have toward premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Most nursing students (51.6%) had positive attitudes toward PMDD, while 49.4% had moderate attitudes. This study only measured attitudes, not clinical knowledge or skills.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Does teaching about PMS improve adolescent girls' knowledge of the condition?

Yes. Seven days after a structured teaching programme, adolescent girls showed significantly higher knowledge scores compared to before the teaching (p<0.05). This suggests education can improve understanding of PMS.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Can teaching girls about distraction help them manage PMS better?

Yes, after a teaching program about distraction activities, girls showed higher knowledge scores (50.9% to 82.1%) and greater use (56.07% to 80.73%). However, there was no control group to compare against.

Survey study, 2026

Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important?

PMS is under-recognized in adolescents and many teenage girls have knowledge gaps about it. Better awareness and education could help young women recognize and manage symptoms earlier.

Survey study, 2026

Do nursing students understand premenstrual syndrome?

96% of 149 nursing students demonstrated good knowledge of PMS and 96% had positive attitudes toward it. Higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitudes.

Survey study, 2026

How aware are Japanese students of PMDD and what are their attitudes toward premenstrual symptoms?

Only 20.6% of students had heard of PMDD. Many believed premenstrual symptoms should be endured rather than treated.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Does 6 weeks of online nutrition education reduce PMS symptoms?

PMS symptoms decreased significantly after 6-week WhatsApp nutrition education, especially mood and bloating. However, without a control group, we cannot determine if improvements were from the program, placebo effect, or natural cycles.

Survey study, 2026

Does climate change stress and anxiety increase premenstrual syndrome symptoms in nursing students?

Nursing students who felt stressed and anxious about climate change were more likely to have premenstrual symptoms. The eco-anxiety appeared to play a connecting role.

Interview study, 2026

How do hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect women with ADHD?

Women with ADHD reported feeling energetic and productive around ovulation, but struggling with low energy and difficulty managing tasks during the premenstrual week. Healthcare providers often didn't understand this connection.

Survey study, 2026

Do caffeine, sugar, stress, and nutritional awareness affect PMS?

High caffeine and sugar intake and stress are linked to worse PMS, while better nutritional awareness is linked to milder PMS. However, because people reported their own habits and symptoms, we cannot prove these factors cause PMS.

Survey study, 2026

What factors are linked to PMS in teenagers?

Several factors are linked to PMS in teenagers: knowledge about PMS, nutritional status, age of first period, daily behaviors, and stress level.

Survey study, 2026

Does PMS affect emotional performance and body awareness in female athletes?

Yes. Women with PMS had significantly worse emotional performance scores than those without PMS, and greater PMS severity linked to lower body awareness and worse performance mood.

Survey study, 2026

How common are PMS symptoms in women, and do lifestyle factors like exercise and stress affect them?

Most women with PMS don't exercise and report stress (82% emotional symptoms, 76% fatigue), suggesting lifestyle matters. But the survey had no control group, so we can't prove lifestyle changes reduce PMS.

Survey study, 2026

How aware are female students of PMDD and how does it affect their schoolwork?

Most female students have low awareness of PMDD and rarely discuss it with teachers. PMDD symptoms make it hard to concentrate in class. This was only a survey in Nigeria, so results may not apply elsewhere.

Survey study, 2026

What natural and alternative treatments do teenage women use for acne that happens before their period?

79.9% of teenage women use at least one natural treatment for premenstrual acne, most commonly natural masks, steam baths, and herbal products. They choose these because they believe they are natural and safe.

Review, 2026

Do men experience premenstrual syndrome?

No. Men do not experience PMS in the strict sense because PMS is defined in relation to the menstrual cycle, which men do not have. However, men may experience recurrent mood, energy, and behavior changes from different biological and social causes.

Review, 2026

Can the brain's perception of internal body signals explain premenstrual syndrome?

This is a new theoretical idea that PMS may involve abnormal brain perception of internal signals like heartbeat and hormones. The theory has not yet been tested through research.

Lab study, 2026

How does Hong-Hua-Xiao-Yao Tablet work to help PMS symptoms?

This rat study shows the tablet may work by changing how the body handles glucose and fats and by reducing brain inflammation. Results cannot yet be applied to women with PMS.

Interview study, 2026

What are women's experiences getting diagnosed with PMDD?

Women often face doctors dismissing their symptoms and long waits to get diagnosed. Once diagnosed, the recognition can help, but only if women can access treatment. These experiences were similar across different countries.

Survey study, 2026

Should PMDD be recognized in Indian law as affecting criminal responsibility?

The analysis concludes that PMDD should be legally recognized in India as affecting judgment and behavior. Modern medicine recognizes PMDD as serious, but Indian criminal law currently does not acknowledge it.

Interview study, 2026

How do parents talk to their teenage daughters about starting their period?

Parents experience emotional challenges discussing menstruation with their daughters. Cultural attitudes that treat menstruation as taboo shape these conversations, and gender roles affect how openly families discuss it.

Survey study, 2026

Can health education help adolescent girls understand menstrual disorders and severe premenstrual disorder?

Health education clearly improved girls' knowledge about menstrual disorders and severe premenstrual disorder. Before education, 82.5% had less than adequate knowledge. After education, all students achieved very good understanding.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Does peer counseling via social media improve adolescent girls' attitudes toward managing PMS?

Yes, possibly. Girls with good attitudes toward PMS increased from 20% to 65% after social media-based peer counseling. However, this study had no control group, so we cannot be certain counseling caused the improvement.

Interview study, 2026

How do women from diverse cultural backgrounds experience their bodies during their period?

Women's negative feelings about their bodies come from conflicting cultural messages: from their original cultures about purity and modesty, and from Western culture about thinness and control. Moving to a new country helped some women challenge and resist these negative views.

Study, 2026

How does PMDD affect women's work and careers?

PMDD causes major challenges at work. Women struggle with concentration, relationships with coworkers, and confidence during the two weeks before their period. They may continue working but do not perform at their usual level, affecting long-term career development.

Survey study, 2026

Do women with menstrual migraine have worse PMS and PMDD, and does coping strategy affect headache burden?

Yes. Women with menstrual migraine had significantly higher PMS severity and PMDD rates than women without menstrual migraine. Using awareness and acceptance coping strategies reduced headache impact on quality of life.

Survey study, 2026

Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents?

Yes. This study found clear relationships between self-injurious behavior and PMDD, and between adverse childhood experiences and PMDD in adolescent girls, suggesting both are risk factors.

Survey study, 2026

Do college students know that exercise helps PMS and do they actually exercise?

Two-thirds of students knew that aerobic exercise can help PMS and 75% thought exercise was good. But only 34% actually exercised regularly, showing a big gap between knowing and doing.

Survey study, 2026

Do women with severe PMS symptoms have higher odds of eating disorders?

Yes. Women with worse PMS have higher odds of eating disorders, mainly because they tend to engage in more emotional eating and food addiction, particularly if they have unhelpful thinking patterns.

Survey study, 2026

What factors influence PMS severity in adolescent girls?

Mental health is the strongest factor. Girls with higher mental health problems, lower positive beliefs about PMS and fewer enabling resources have more severe PMS.

Survey study, 2026

Do childhood traumas affect how women cope with PMS?

Yes. Women who experienced childhood trauma reported worse ways of coping with PMS, and this was partly because of harmful beliefs about sexuality that developed from their trauma.

Survey study, 2026

Can watching a YouTube video teach teenage girls more about PMS?

Yes, in this small study, a YouTube-based health talk clearly improved girls' knowledge about PMS, but it only measured knowledge, not whether symptoms improved.

Survey study, 2026

Is PMS linked to body fat percentage and eating disorder risk?

Women with PMS had a slightly higher body fat percentage. However, high BMI, not PMS, was the main independent risk factor for eating disorders.

Interview study, 2026

What do female employees and high school girls understand about PMDD?

High school girls were more aware of PMDD than working women, though both groups understood roughly the same amount. Being more aware did not necessarily mean understanding the condition better.

Survey study, 2026

Does being kind to yourself help reduce how negative attitudes about menstruation worsen PMS symptoms?

Being kind to yourself (self-compassion) appears to reduce the connection between negative menstrual attitudes and PMS symptoms. However, this finding comes from one study where women volunteered online, so it is not yet proven.

Survey study, 2026

Is PMS linked to sleep quality in young women?

In university students, 99.8% had PMS and 86.8% had poor sleep quality. Students with poor sleep had higher PMS scores.

Survey study, 2026

What coping methods do women with PMS use?

Women with PMS mainly used acceptance and awareness to cope. Their worst symptoms were mood problems, anxiety, and tiredness.

Survey study, 2026

Does the DSM-5 premenstrual symptom screening tool work for Turkish women?

Yes, the tool showed strong performance and accurately separated women by PMS severity. It may be useful for screening PMS according to current diagnostic standards.

Survey study, 2026

What do college women know about PMS and period care?

College women in India have low PMS awareness and poor hygiene practices. Only 52% were aware of PMS, and 82% did not practice good menstrual hygiene.

Review, 2026

What biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to PMDD?

PMDD involves hormonal changes, genetic factors, personality traits, pre-existing mental health conditions, cultural stigma, and differences in access to support and care.

Interview study, 2026

What do women and their partners think about a PMS tracking app?

Users appreciated features that help understand symptom patterns and context, and liked partner-sharing and AI suggestions. This shows what people want, but not whether the app improves health.

Survey study, 2025

How common are PMS and PMDD among female university students?

About 10.37% had PMS and 19.26% had PMDD. Technical course students had higher rates than medical course students.

Survey study, 2025

What knowledge do nursing students have about PMS?

Nursing students have good PMS knowledge. 64% had excellent knowledge and 27% had good knowledge, with average score of 72.04%.

Survey study, 2025

How severe is PMS in nursing students and what coping strategies do they use?

The study aimed to assess PMS severity and coping behaviors in 50 nursing students, but the abstract does not include the results or findings from the research.

Survey study, 2025

How much do high school girls know about PMS?

High school girls have very low PMS knowledge. 75% had poor knowledge, and girls from rural areas knew significantly less than those from urban areas.

Non-randomised trial, 2025

Can teaching about PMS improve adolescent girls' knowledge?

Yes. A PowerPoint presentation and pamphlets significantly improved knowledge scores about PMS and its management in adolescent girls.

Survey study, 2025

What are the most common premenstrual symptoms among adolescent girls in Chandigarh?

The most common premenstrual symptoms were headaches (67%), breast pain (62%), and anxiety or tension (59%). These findings are from one city in India with 100 girls, so they may not represent all adolescent girls.

Survey study, 2025

How much do adolescent girls know about premenstrual syndrome?

Among nursing students, none had good knowledge of premenstrual syndrome; 46.7% had poor knowledge and 53.3% had average knowledge. This very small sample from one nursing college cannot tell us whether all adolescent girls have similar knowledge gaps.

Survey study, 2025

How many university students have PMDD and do they know about it?

About 4 in 10 university students in Riyadh met PMDD criteria. Most (58.5%) had heard of PMDD before. Common coping strategies included paying attention to symptoms and normalizing them. More education is needed.

Survey study, 2025

What factors affect how men and women view premenstrual syndrome?

Education, male gender, and being aged 18-45 are linked to more positive views of PMS. Rural residence is linked to less positive views. However, this is a small study in one district of India.

Cohort study, 2025

Does working memory change during different phases of the menstrual cycle?

Yes. Working memory for both visual and hearing tasks was significantly better during the secretory phase (days 21-25) than during the proliferative phase (days 10-14).

Study, 2025

What do people say about PMS and PMDD on social media, and is it positive or negative?

An analysis of tweets on X (formerly Twitter) found that tweets about PMDD were more negative in tone than tweets about PMS, with both using emotionally charged language.

Non-randomised trial, 2025

Does watching an educational video about PMS help women feel more prepared to handle it?

Yes, after watching an educational video about PMS, nursing students' knowledge and readiness improved significantly.

Non-randomised trial, 2025

Does an educational video help teenagers with PMS knowledge and anxiety?

Yes. The study found the video was effective at increasing knowledge and improving behavior and reducing anxiety in teenagers with PMS (p = 0.0001). However, there was no control group so we cannot be certain the video caused the changes.

Non-randomised trial, 2025

Does a teaching programme about PMS improve nursing students' knowledge?

A structured teaching programme had a statistically significant effect on nursing students' knowledge about PMS. However, the study's results are confusing because it reported no significant difference between student groups at pre-test or post-test.

Interview study, 2025

How do cultural beliefs about menstruation affect adolescent girls' PMS experiences?

Yes, cultural beliefs strongly influenced how girls experienced PMS, with cultural stigma and social pressure increasing stress, shame, and isolation. Social support, education, and changing cultural attitudes can reduce these negative effects.

Survey study, 2025

What biological and cultural factors influence PMS and PMDD across different countries?

PMS and PMDD result from a combination of hormone changes, serotonin sensitivity, stress, poor diet, lack of physical activity, sleep problems, and cultural stigma around menstruation. Countries with stronger public health systems had better diagnosis and support.

Interview study, 2025

What are healthcare experiences like for women with premenstrual symptoms in the UK?

Most women felt their care was poor, with doctors dismissing symptoms and lacking knowledge. Care improved when doctors took symptoms seriously.

Survey study, 2025

How much do nursing students know about PMDD and how do they feel about it?

Nursing students generally had average to good knowledge of PMDD and mostly positive attitudes toward it, though a meaningful number still knew little about it.

Survey study, 2025

What do young women know about menstruation and menstrual hygiene?

Most young women know basic facts about menstruation, but many don't know where menstrual blood comes from. Many miss college due to period pain.

Interview study, 2025

How do young lesbian women experience PMS and does partner support affect it?

They reported typical PMS symptoms like irritability and depression. Unlike in studies of heterosexual women where PMS causes conflict, these women found that supportive partners and open communication actually reduced the burden.

Survey study, 2025

How do menstrual health and mental health affect each other?

Menstrual problems like PMS, painful periods, and endometriosis affect mood, stress, and thinking. Poor mental health can make menstrual symptoms worse. Connections involve hormones, emotions like stigma and body image, and social factors like education and hygiene access.

Survey study, 2025

How much do period problems like painful periods and PMS affect college girls' daily lives?

Painful periods and PMS were common among college girls and affected their studies, physical health, mood, and social life, though the study does not give exact numbers.

Interview study, 2025

What kind of therapy do people with premenstrual conditions want?

People want therapists trained in their condition to validate them and help them gain control and self-compassion. They also want broader social recognition of premenstrual conditions.

Interview study, 2025

How do women with PMDD think about themselves, other people, and the world?

Women with PMDD report deeply negative thoughts during their premenstrual period. They see themselves as shameful and anxious, feel unsure in relationships, and view the world as cruel and meaningless.

Survey study, 2025

What health and lifestyle factors are linked to worse premenstrual symptoms?

Early first period, irregular cycles, and other health conditions including headaches, pain, diabetes, thyroid problems, and mood disorders were linked to worse symptoms.

Survey study, 2025

How aware are medical students of PMDD, and how common is it among female medical students?

Female medical students recognised PMDD as a mental disorder much more than male students. About 9% of female medical students tested positive for PMDD on screening.

Case report, 2025

Can breast cancer spread to the bowel and cause belly pain that gets worse before menstruation?

This is extremely rare, but one woman had constipation, vomiting, and belly pain that got worse before her period for 5 months, which turned out to be breast cancer spread to her bowel.

Survey study, 2025

Does childhood trauma affect PMS symptoms and how women experience childbirth?

Yes, childhood trauma, especially emotional and physical neglect, was linked to both PMS and traumatic childbirth perception. Reproductive health education appeared to reduce this effect.

Survey study, 2025

Is the Turkish version of the PMS-IQ questionnaire reliable for measuring PMS?

Yes. The Turkish PMS-IQ questionnaire is reliable and measures what it should measure in Turkish women with PMS. However, it has only been tested in Turkey.

Survey study, 2025

How common is PMS or PMDD in Indian women and how much do they know about it?

Very common. 92% had symptoms and 78% screened positive for PMS or PMDD. But 85% had little or no knowledge about these conditions.

Survey study, 2025

What is the prevalence of PMS among female biomedical students in Kabul, Afghanistan?

PMS prevalence was 72.3% based on ICD-10 criteria and 21.1% using ACOG criteria. The difference reflects how PMS is defined.

Survey study, 2025

How many women with menstrual cramps are diagnosed with dysmenorrhea?

Very few. Only 4.6% of women with dysmenorrhea symptoms were diagnosed with it, mainly because they did not see a doctor. Some were told they had PMS instead.

Survey study, 2025

Does what women eat affect how severe their PMS is?

The study suggests that specific nutrients may influence PMS severity, but the abstract does not specify which nutrients or how strong the effect is.

Survey study, 2025

Does PMS affect how well nursing students can focus on learning?

Yes. PMS was negatively linked to learning focus and was one of five main factors affecting students' ability to concentrate.

Survey study, 2025

Is PMS linked to eating disorders and body fat?

Women with PMS had slightly higher body fat (38.1% vs 37.1%) and more smoking than women without PMS. However, high BMI, not PMS itself, was the main risk factor for eating disorders.

Survey study, 2025

Does stress cause PMS in adolescents?

Strong link between stress and PMS: only 6.7% of mildly stressed girls had PMS, but 95.9% of severely stressed girls did. Sleep and exercise seemed protective.

Survey study, 2025

Does the PMS-Cope questionnaire work well for Indonesian women?

Yes. The study found that the PMS-Cope questionnaire has good reliability and validity for measuring how Indonesian women cope with PMS. The questionnaire was successfully translated and tested.

Interview study, 2025

What causes PMS and PMDD?

PMS and PMDD involve hormonal changes (estrogen and progesterone), but they also depend on how women think, feel, and experience their social world. Understanding all three together gives a fuller picture than focusing only on hormones.

Review, 2025

How do trauma and sensory processing affect PMDD symptoms?

Trauma-related changes to the brain heighten sensitivity to sensory input and emotions, which can worsen PMDD symptoms during the luteal phase. Understanding trauma and sensory factors may improve how PMDD is diagnosed and treated.

Survey study, 2025

Do women with PMS sense their body signals differently from women without PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS are very good at detecting their own heartbeat but less aware of what those sensations mean. They also take longer to calm down after stressful situations.

Survey study, 2024

How common is PMS among female students in Bangladesh and how does it affect daily life?

Very common; 94% experienced PMS. It significantly disrupted academic concentration in 65.85% and caused difficulty with work and activities in 59.56%.

Interview study, 2024

Do women with ADHD benefit from a group focused on the menstrual cycle?

Women with ADHD who attended a group program focused on the menstrual cycle said it was helpful and made them more aware of their symptoms. We do not know if ADHD symptoms actually improved.

Non-randomised trial, 2024

Does teaching improve nursing students' knowledge about PMS and how to manage it?

Yes. After the program, 45.65% of students had good knowledge compared to 6.52% before.

Survey study, 2024

Did a teaching program help adolescent girls learn about managing PMS?

The program taught management strategies including healthy eating, exercise, reduced salt and sugar, increased fiber, and adequate sleep.

Survey study, 2024

What do pharmacy students know about using herbs for PMS?

Pharmacy students had moderate knowledge (58.9% correct answers) about these herbs, and about 83% believed the herbs could help PMS symptoms. However, this study only surveyed opinions. It did not test whether these herbs actually work.

Survey study, 2024

Does teaching girls about PMS improve their knowledge?

Yes, a teaching program significantly improved girls' knowledge about PMS. Before the program, 90% of girls had inadequate knowledge about it.

Survey study, 2024

How much do teenage girls know about premenstrual syndrome?

Most teenage girls in this school did not know much about PMS. About 53% had low awareness.

Case report, 2024

Can learning to notice sensory changes help women with PMDD manage their symptoms?

In one hospitalized woman with PMDD, occupational therapy that taught her to notice sensory changes helped her feel more in control and do more daily activities.

Survey study, 2024

Does teaching mental health doctors about PMDD improve how they assess and treat it?

When psychiatric staff attended a PMDD education session, they reported learning more about assessment and evidence-based treatment options. The study did not measure whether patients received better care.

Survey study, 2024

Does the stage of your menstrual cycle change your balance?

Yes, this small study found balance and postural control were slightly worse before ovulation and improved after ovulation.

Survey study, 2024

Does teaching about PMS help students learn?

Yes. After the teaching programme, students' knowledge scores more than doubled.

Interview study, 2024

How does PMDD affect eating behaviors, and what barriers do people face seeking help?

People with PMDD experience disordered eating patterns including binge eating and restrictive eating, but this is very limited evidence from only 13 people in the UK.

Survey study, 2024

Do social workers understand PMS and PMDD and how does this affect their assessment of mothers?

Social workers scored 60.5% on average on a PMS/PMDD knowledge test, and only 5.1% asked about these conditions when assessing mothers.

Survey study, 2024

What do people in Pakistan know about PMS and PMDD?

About 64% of people surveyed were aware of PMS and PMDD, but 35% were not aware, and 39% mistakenly thought these were life-threatening conditions.

Survey study, 2024

Do athletes understand their menstrual cycle and how it affects their performance?

Most athletes feel their menstrual cycle affects their performance, but most cannot correctly identify the different phases. Many feel tired or unmotivated during certain phases.

Interview study, 2024

What do men think about menstruation and menstrual discs?

Most male clients had limited knowledge and viewed menstruation as dirty or risky. When shown a menstrual disc, most accepted it as safe and hygienic.

Survey study, 2024

Do medical students understand PMDD and feel prepared to diagnose it?

Most medical students don't understand PMDD. Even those who studied gynecology or psychiatry don't feel prepared to diagnose it. Many confuse it with PMS.

Survey study, 2024

Do women with PMS see exercise differently than women without PMS?

Women with PMS see more barriers to exercise and fewer benefits than women without PMS. Women who are more physically active and body-aware see fewer barriers and more benefits to exercise.

Survey study, 2024

How many adolescent girls have PMS and how much do they know about it?

32% of adolescent girls had PMS. However, 84% had no knowledge of what PMS is, suggesting most girls do not understand their symptoms.

Survey study, 2024

How common is PMDD among medical and dental students?

About 7.27% of female medical students had PMDD, while 75.7% had some premenstrual symptoms. Many men did not know about PMDD.

Survey study, 2024

How many Egyptian women have PMDD and what do they know about it?

10% of women at two clinics had PMDD. About 47% had good knowledge about it. Most women believed awareness was important, but few discussed it with doctors.

Survey study, 2024

Is PMS related to willingness to seek professional help for mental health?

Women with more severe PMS symptoms were more likely to want professional psychological help. This was a survey of college students in Oman, so results may not apply to other populations or countries.

Survey study, 2024

Does PMS affect the mouth and oral health?

About 59% of women experienced changes in their mouth during PMS, including more mouth ulcers and bad breath. This is a small survey of 100 women at one dental hospital, so we cannot be sure these findings apply more widely.

Survey study, 2024

How common is premenstrual syndrome and what makes it worse?

About 68% of health sciences students had premenstrual symptoms, and 79% of those had a family history of PMS. The study found menstrual pain, amount of bleeding, and family history were linked to having PMS.

Survey study, 2024

How common is PMS among teenage girls, and do they get help for it?

PMS was found in about 61% of the adolescent girls studied, with roughly half of those having severe symptoms, and none had actually sought medical help for premenstrual complaints. This is one clinic-based study, so the exact numbers may not apply everywhere.

Study, 2024

How does PMDD affect women's daily lives?

Women with PMDD report that their symptoms severely disrupt relationships, work, education, and self-image during the premenstrual phase. Healthcare providers often lack understanding of the condition.

Survey study, 2024

Does knowing about Ayurvedic yoga make teenage girls more interested in practicing it for PMS?

Yes, teenage girls with more knowledge about Ayurvedic yoga were significantly more interested in practicing it (p=0.00).

Survey study, 2024

Is exposure to chemicals that disrupt hormones linked to more severe PMS?

Yes. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between endocrine disruptor exposure and PMS severity (r = 0.196, p = 0.014), though the relationship was modest.

Survey study, 2024

Does knowing more about PMS help high school girls manage stress about their symptoms?

Yes. There was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge about PMS and stress levels (p = 0.000), with girls having more knowledge reporting lower stress.

Survey study, 2024

Do women with worse PMS use more complementary and alternative medicine?

No clear relationship was found between PMS symptom severity and attitudes toward complementary medicine. However, women with PMS commonly use self-help methods.

Survey study, 2024

Do mental health professionals in Japan recognize PMDD and PMS in their patients?

Few professionals initially considered PMDD or PMS when given a case description. But most recognized it when told the symptoms were linked to the menstrual cycle.

Survey study, 2024

Why is PMDD so often underdiagnosed and what needs to change?

PMDD is common but often missed because of limited awareness, healthcare research bias toward men, and cultural stigma around menstruation. Better education, screening, and research are needed, especially in lower-income countries.

Survey study, 2024

Can yoga and diet reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

The study found that female college students who did yoga regularly had lower PMS scores (88) than those who did not (100). However, this is an observation only and does not prove yoga prevents PMS.

Survey study, 2023

How many women have PMS and what do they know about managing it?

80% of 250 urban women reported PMS symptoms, but only 48% met clinical criteria for diagnosis. Most women did nothing to relieve their symptoms, and over 60% experienced disruption in daily life.

Survey study, 2023

What do adolescent girls know about PMS?

Most girls (86.67%) had good knowledge about PMS, but 10% had poor knowledge. Girls whose mothers had higher education knew more about PMS.

Survey study, 2023

How common are PMS symptoms in adolescent girls and what are their menstrual patterns?

Most girls (80.6%) had high levels of PMS symptoms. Many had irregular menstrual cycles, which is normal in early adolescence.

Survey study, 2023

Is PMS linked to poor sleep and negative feelings about menstruation?

Yes, worse PMS symptoms are strongly linked to poorer sleep quality and more negative attitudes toward menstruation.

Survey study, 2023

Is there a link between PMS symptoms and how the nervous system controls heart rate?

Possibly. Three women showed medium to high connections between their PMS symptoms and heart rate variability throughout the menstrual cycle, especially for mood symptoms.

Survey study, 2023

Are stress and rumination linked to PMS, and does mindfulness help reduce symptoms?

Yes on both counts. Higher stress and rumination during the premenstrual phase correlated with more severe PMS symptoms. Women with more mindfulness, particularly present-moment awareness and acceptance, had lower symptoms and less impairment.

Survey study, 2023

What factors are linked to premenstrual syndrome in women workers?

Most women workers (92.6%) experienced PMS. The study looked for links between PMS and marital status, exercise, depression, and diet, but found no clear relationships.

Survey study, 2023

Is a new questionnaire a good tool to measure quality of life during menstruation?

Yes, the Menstrual Health Outcome Questionnaire is valid and reliable. It contains 35 questions and passed multiple statistical quality tests.

Survey study, 2023

Does a video program help teenagers learn about PMS?

Yes. Teenagers who watched a video about PMS gained 16.55% more knowledge than those who did not.

Interview study, 2023

What challenges do women face when trying to get diagnosed and treated for PMDD?

Women face significant barriers at every stage. Diagnosis and treatment require high levels of patient self-advocacy, and many women struggle with both healthcare provider knowledge and societal recognition of the condition.

Survey study, 2023

What symptoms does PMS cause and how common is severe PMS?

PMS can cause around 150 different symptoms ranging from cramps to mood changes to fatigue. About 3-8% of women experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is a more severe form than typical PMS.

Survey study, 2023

What factors affect whether high school students get PMS?

7.6% of students had PMS in this study. Knowledge, behavior, age at first period, and stress level all showed clear relationships with PMS.

Survey study, 2023

How much do young women know about premenstrual syndrome?

Most young women knew what PMS is (74%), but many lacked knowledge about its symptoms (76%) and how to manage it (59%).

Study, 2023

What is the knowledge level of adolescents about premenstrual syndrome?

Most female students in the school had moderate level knowledge about PMS.

Survey study, 2023

Do male and female obstetricians and gynecologists approach PMDD and PMS diagnosis and treatment differently?

Yes. Female OB/GYNs were more likely to treat PMDD and PMS patients, more likely to use symptom diaries for diagnosis, and less likely to prescribe SSRIs as their first choice. This suggests the gender of the provider may influence how they approach these conditions.

Survey study, 2023

Does knowing about PMS help reduce anxiety about it in young girls?

Yes, the study found that girls with better knowledge about PMS experienced less anxiety (p=0.003). However, attitudes about menstruation alone did not significantly affect anxiety levels (p=0.303).

Survey study, 2023

What factors most influence PMS severity in college students?

Sleep problems and eating attitude problems were the strongest factors linked to worse PMS, along with menstrual pain. Together these explained about one quarter of why some women have worse symptoms.

Study, 2023

What coping strategies help reduce PMS severity?

Yes. Seeking positive activities to cope with PMS was linked to lower PMS severity. Doing enjoyable things during your cycle might help manage your symptoms.

Randomised trial, 2023

What does research show about PMDD neurochemistry?

The provided text does not include results from a PMDD neurochemistry study. It discusses unrelated research on other topics.

Survey study, 2023

How much do teenage girls in Nepal know about PMS and what symptoms do they experience?

Most teenage girls have very poor knowledge about PMS (90.2%), and 77% experience PMS symptoms. The most common symptoms are mood swings, headaches, irritability, and acne.

Survey study, 2023

What do adolescent girls know about premenstrual syndrome?

Most adolescent girls had average or good knowledge about PMS. 56.5% had average knowledge and 37.1% had good knowledge. Researchers also created and validated an information booklet to help teach girls about PMS.

Survey study, 2023

How do eating habits change during the menstrual cycle in women with PMS?

During the luteal phase before the period, women eat less healthy food and more high-calorie food. All 50 women reported having at least one PMS symptom during this phase.

Study, 2023

How does menstruation affect different areas of women's lives?

Menstruation affects mental health, education, money, and culture, and the challenges are worse for some women depending on race and economic status.

Interview study, 2023

How does PMS affect women's daily activities and relationships?

Women with PMS have difficulties with daily activities like self-care, work, and leisure, which affects their routines and relationships with others.

Study, 2023

Does education about PMS help young women understand the condition?

Yes, clearly. Young women who received education and counseling about PMS showed increased knowledge about the condition.

Survey study, 2023

Does knowledge about PMS reduce PMS symptoms in female students?

Yes, students with good knowledge were more likely to not experience PMS symptoms compared to those with poor knowledge, and attitudes were also related to experiencing symptoms. However, we cannot tell if knowledge reduces PMS or if the relationship works differently.

Study, 2023

Does teaching adolescents about PMS help them manage it?

Yes. After a health education program, adolescent girls had better understanding of PMS symptoms and knew how to manage them. Some needed ongoing support to actually use the techniques.

Survey study, 2023

What do adolescent girls in India know about menstruation and PMS?

Most girls knew menstruation was natural and learned from their mothers, but over half had never heard of PMS. Girls with good knowledge about periods had less period-related anxiety.

Interview study, 2023

What do women with premenstrual disorder experience and what do they need from their doctors?

Women with premenstrual disorder experience strong impacts on quality of life, including feeling like they have two separate identities. They need their doctors to acknowledge the condition and provide personalized treatment.

Survey study, 2023

How common is PMDD among female medical students, and do they recognize it?

27% of female medical students had PMDD, but only 25.9% of those diagnosed recognized the condition. Overall, just 38% of students had adequate awareness of PMDD. Those with PMDD had lower hemoglobin and higher inflammation markers.

Survey study, 2023

Is there a relationship between PMS and eating disorder symptoms in university students?

The study found high PMS rates and low eating disorder rates in nutrition students. Irregular sleep was linked to more severe PMS, but the relationship between PMS and eating attitudes needs more research.

Survey study, 2023

How many university students have PMS and what do they know about it?

53.6% of students reported experiencing PMS. More than half had good knowledge and positive attitudes about PMS. 70.3% said PMS disrupted their normal routine.

Survey study, 2023

What percentage of women aged 20-35 have PMS symptoms and what types are most common?

This survey of 252 women found that about half (45.2%) report moderate PMS symptoms and 40.1% report mild symptoms. The most common physical symptoms are breast tenderness and swelling (52.8%), skin lesions (44%), and cravings for salt or sugar (40.9%).

Survey study, 2023

How common is PMS among women in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan and what factors are related to it?

27.1% of women had PMS. Many women were unaware of PMS (38.7%) or menstruation (12.9%), and few consulted a doctor about their symptoms.

Survey study, 2023

How common is PMS among college-age girls in India?

86% of college girls in India had PMS. Common symptoms included depressed mood, irritability, headaches, and body pain.

Survey study, 2023

How common are PMS and PMDD among college girls, and what are their symptoms?

Among 318 college students in India, 44 had PMDD and 89 had PMS. Symptoms differed, with PMDD including more severe mood changes like anger, tearfulness, and anxiety than PMS.

Non-randomised trial, 2023

Can pop-up book education increase adolescent girls' knowledge about premenstrual syndrome?

Yes. Knowledge about premenstrual syndrome significantly increased after girls received pop-up book education.

Non-randomised trial, 2023

Can module-based education increase adolescent girls' confidence in managing premenstrual syndrome?

Yes. After receiving module-based education, most girls moved from poor knowledge to adequate or good knowledge about premenstrual syndrome.

Survey study, 2023

Does learning more about PMS help reduce anxiety in teenage girls?

The review suggests that teenage girls with PMS can reduce anxiety by learning more about their symptoms and getting appropriate treatment, though this conclusion comes from reviewing existing studies rather than new research.

Review, 2023

How does the stress response system affect depression during reproductive stages like PMDD?

The HPA axis, which controls the stress response, changes during reproductive stages and plays an important role in depression risk at vulnerable times like PMDD, after birth, and perimenopause. Past stress and trauma exposure increase this risk.

Non-randomised trial, 2023

Does teaching about PMS improve knowledge and reduce school absences?

Yes, teaching about PMS significantly increased knowledge (from 20.6% to 72.2% with good knowledge) and improved attitudes. It was also associated with fewer school absences.

Non-randomised trial, 2023

Does education help teenage girls learn to detect and manage PMS?

Yes, after education and discussion, 87.5% of girls had good knowledge about early detection and management of PMS. However, the study only measured knowledge, not whether girls actually detected or managed symptoms better.

Interview study, 2022

Can menstruation tracking apps help women manage PMS?

Women who used tracking apps reported learning to control and predict PMS symptoms and to appreciate their bodies more, though the app's accuracy and design were important.

Non-randomised trial, 2022

Does teaching adolescents about period symptoms improve their knowledge and attitudes?

Yes, after one week of teaching, more girls had adequate knowledge about PMS and more had positive attitudes. There was no comparison group.

Survey study, 2022

Does muscle relaxation reduce PMS symptoms?

A specific muscle relaxation technique significantly reduced PMS symptoms in the study group. However, without a control group, we cannot be certain the technique itself caused the improvement.

Study, 2022

What is premenstrual syndrome and how do doctors diagnose it?

Premenstrual syndrome is a pattern of symptoms that appears 1-2 weeks before menstruation and disappears after it starts. Doctors diagnose it using the timing of symptoms, whether they repeat monthly, and whether they interfere with daily life.

Non-randomised trial, 2022

Is nutrition status linked to PMS, and does health education help?

Girls with normal nutrition status had less PMS. The age they started their period was not linked to PMS. Health education improved their knowledge about PMS.

Survey study, 2022

What methods without medication do women with PMS use to manage symptoms?

Most midwifery students with PMS used heat-based methods like hot showers and hot applications, often combined with medication. Over half had moderate PMS severity.

Survey study, 2022

How does PMS affect university students' school and daily life, and how do they cope?

About one-third of students reported that PMS affected their school performance, relationships, or daily activities. Students used various coping methods, including seeing health workers and taking painkillers, though some used less helpful approaches like drinking alcohol.

Interview study, 2022

How does the menstrual cycle affect female footballers' on-field performance?

All elite female footballers perceived their menstrual cycle to harm their performance, most severely during menstruation and the days before it.

Survey study, 2022

What psychological factors predict PMS in nursing students?

Resilience (the ability to bounce back from stress) was the strongest predictor of PMS, with better resilience linked to fewer symptoms. Menstrual attitude also predicted PMS severity.

Survey study, 2022

How common is premenstrual syndrome in nursing students and how much does it affect daily life?

The study measured PMS in 100 nursing students but did not report the actual findings.

Survey study, 2022

What do health college students believe about PMS and how do they cope with it?

We cannot say, because the available summary only describes the survey tools used and does not report the actual results on beliefs or coping strategies.

Survey study, 2022

How do female elite athletes cope with premenstrual symptoms?

Strategies that help include being aware of symptoms, practicing self-care, and communicating with others. Strategies that don't help include trying to avoid harm and adjusting energy. Premenstrual symptoms reduced physical ability and well-being.

Survey study, 2022

Do premenstrual symptoms vary by region in Brazil?

Yes, there are regional differences in how women experience premenstrual symptoms. Overall, 38.91% of women reported that their symptoms significantly interfere with daily activities.

Interview study, 2022

What is it like for women to experience their body during the premenstrual phase?

Women describe their premenstrual bodies in negative ways, feeling fat, leaking, and dirty. They check and hide their bodies more during this time. This connects to cultural ideas about what female bodies should be.

Survey study, 2022

Does a girl's relationship with her mother affect her PMS symptoms?

Yes. Girls whose mothers had lower education had more severe PMS symptoms. Girls with moderate relationships with their mothers reported more shame about menstruation.

Interview study, 2022

Are doctors correctly diagnosing PMDD or mistaking it for depression or anxiety?

All four women interviewed were initially misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety rather than PMDD. The key to accurate diagnosis was recognizing that symptoms followed the menstrual cycle.

Survey study, 2022

What makes teenage girls adopt behaviours to prevent PMS?

Girls who believe they are at risk of PMS, believe they can prevent it, and see few barriers to prevention are more likely to adopt preventive behaviours. These factors predict about one-third of behaviour change.

Survey study, 2022

How many female university students have PMS and what do they know about it?

42.8% of university students had PMS and 78% reported it disrupted their daily routine. However, many students lacked awareness about PMS and did not know when to seek treatment.

Survey study, 2022

How common is premenstrual syndrome among teenage girls and how much do they know about managing it?

73% of girls aged 18-20 had PMS, mostly at moderate severity (69.86%), but 88% had only average or poor knowledge about managing it.

Survey study, 2022

Is stress about puberty and menstruation linked to depression and anxiety in adolescent girls?

Yes. Stress related to menstruation and puberty was linked to depression, anxiety, and reproductive tract infections in adolescent girls in Tanzania.

Interview study, 2022

Does menstruation or PMS affect women's participation in adventurous activities?

Yes, 89% of women said menstruation or PMS affects their participation. Main barriers are practical challenges with hygiene and emotional concerns about missing out.

Survey study, 2022

Does PMS really affect a woman's quality of life?

Yes, PMS significantly lowers quality of life, particularly for young women. Emotional symptoms are most severe, and mental health is the most affected area of life.

Survey study, 2022

Does how women cope with PMS affect how they feel about menstruation?

Yes. Active coping methods like exercise and relaxation help reduce negative effects on attitudes about menstruation. Passive coping like trying to accept changes did not help as much.

Survey study, 2022

Is there a link between PMS symptoms and eating problems?

Yes, a weak one. Four out of five adolescents (79.6%) had PMS symptoms. Among those with PMS, about 1 in 4 (23.1%) also had eating problems. As PMS symptoms increased, eating problems increased slightly.

Study, 2022

How do people with PMDD use online communities?

Online communities help people with PMDD share experiences, find friendship, learn information, and feel less alone. The posts also showed that PMDD remains misunderstood in social and medical settings.

Survey study, 2021

Does better diet knowledge and practice reduce PMS in adolescent girls?

The study found a moderate positive correlation between diet practice and PMS occurrence. The abstract does not clearly explain whether better diet practices reduce symptoms or if girls with more symptoms practice more dietary approaches.

Survey study, 2021

Does teaching about PMS and coping strategies increase knowledge?

Yes. After a structured teaching program, 88% of adolescent girls had adequate knowledge about PMS and coping strategies, compared to only 10% before the program.

Survey study, 2021

Is disordered eating more common in women with PMDD?

Yes. Women with PMDD had disordered eating at 45.5%, much higher than those with moderate-to-severe PMS at 16.5% or no/mild PMS at 13.6%. Eating problems increase with symptom severity.

Non-randomised trial, 2021

Does teaching young women about PMS improve their knowledge?

Yes. Seven young women who received PMS education significantly increased their knowledge (p=0.000).

Survey study, 2021

Can a teaching program improve girls' knowledge about PMS?

Yes. A one-week online teaching program clearly improved girls' knowledge about PMS. Before teaching, less than half had good knowledge. After teaching, all girls had adequate knowledge.

Interview study, 2021

How does the menstrual cycle affect elite athletes' training and competition?

Elite athletes with natural menstrual cycles reported physical symptoms, mood changes, and reduced motivation to train. Many chose to control their cycle to reduce its effects on competition.

Interview study, 2021

What do Spanish women think about their healthcare for premenstrual discomfort?

Women feel healthcare is inadequate because doctors only provide medication without investigating underlying causes. They want providers to address root causes and prefer education over medication alone.

Survey study, 2021

Is anxiety about PMS related to how much girls know about reproductive health?

Yes. There is a relationship between girls' knowledge about reproductive health and their anxiety about premenstrual syndrome.

Survey study, 2021

How many college students know about PMS symptoms?

90% of students were aware of PMS symptoms, but 10% were not. The study was very small and did not measure knowledge deeply.

Survey study, 2021

What helps women adopt preventive behaviors for PMS?

Women with confidence in their ability and who understood the benefits of physical activity were more likely to adopt preventive behaviors. Confidence and physical activity were the strongest factors.

Interview study, 2021

How do women manage changes in eating and exercise during the premenstrual phase?

Women kept strict control over eating and exercise outside the premenstrual phase, but during it they experienced cravings, hunger, and fatigue that disrupted these patterns. Some found this helpful for self-care; others felt guilt, shame, and pushed themselves harder.

Survey study, 2021

Does feeling in control improve attitude toward periods?

Yes. Feeling in control was linked to more positive attitudes about menstruation. Feeling in control partially explained how premenstrual discomfort affects attitude.

Study, 2021

Can online education about meditation help teenagers with premenstrual pain?

Online education about meditation for premenstrual syndrome increased teenagers' knowledge and was well-received, but this study did not measure whether actual pain decreased.

Survey study, 2021

Are PMS and depression the same condition?

No, they are separate conditions. Women fell into different groups with PMS only, depression only, both, or neither, showing they are independent.

Non-randomised trial, 2021

Does health education increase teenagers' knowledge about PMS?

Yes. Teenagers who received health education showed an increase in PMS knowledge. We do not know whether their behaviors or symptoms changed.

Study, 2021

Can education help teenage girls manage mood changes during their period?

Researchers provided education about PMS to teenage girls to help them understand and manage mood changes, but the study does not report whether it actually improved their symptoms.

Randomised trial, 2021

Do women with depression or bipolar disorder experience worse symptoms before or during their menstrual cycle?

About 60% of women with mood disorders report premenstrual worsening of symptoms, which predicts worse disease overall. Current PMDD treatments work less well or not at all for this problem, and more research is needed to understand what helps.

Survey study, 2021

Does premenstrual tension syndrome affect how well a woman's family functions?

Yes, in this study premenstrual tension syndrome was very common among female university students, and the more severe it was, the more likely their family was to be dysfunctional.

Survey study, 2021

What menstrual symptoms do teenage girls experience and what do they know about managing them?

Girls experienced various menstrual symptoms including pain and irregular periods. They had some knowledge about symptoms but lacked adequate information on how to manage them.

Survey study, 2021

Are stress, eating habits and exercise linked to PMS, and does knowledge matter?

Stress, eating patterns, and exercise patterns were all linked to PMS, but how much a girl knew about PMS was not linked to whether she had it.

Survey study, 2021

Does learning about PMS help adolescents manage it better?

Yes. Adolescents with more knowledge about PMS were more likely to handle PMS symptoms better.

Survey study, 2020

What do adolescent girls know and do about premenstrual syndrome?

Most had average knowledge and good practices. Most learned about PMS from family rather than health professionals.

Survey study, 2020

How common is PMS among female university students and how does it affect their lives?

Most female university students know about PMS. It commonly affects school work and social life, but most do nothing to treat it.

Survey study, 2020

Does an information booklet improve girls' knowledge about PMS?

The abstract does not present results on whether the booklet improved knowledge. It shows that girls' baseline knowledge did not vary by age, religion, mother's education, or other demographic factors.

Study, 2020

Can teaching about lifestyle changes help adolescents understand how to prevent PMS?

The abstract describes the study design but does not report whether the teaching program actually changed knowledge or attitudes about PMS prevention.

Survey study, 2020

What attitudes do teenage girls have about premenstrual syndrome, and what affects them?

Most girls had positive attitudes about PMS (50.3%) and good knowledge about it (74.2%). Knowledge, physical activity, anxiety levels, and health education all related to how they felt about managing PMS.

Survey study, 2020

Is there a link between how much adolescents know about reproduction and their attitudes toward PMS?

Yes, a clear relationship was found between reproductive knowledge and attitudes toward PMS. Girls with more education about reproduction had different views on PMS than those who knew less.

Guideline, 2020

Do community pharmacists know enough to help women with PMS?

Most pharmacists surveyed had good knowledge and positive attitudes about helping with PMS. They mostly recommended anti-inflammatory medications, showing their recommendations are based on evidence.

Survey study, 2020

Can teaching about yoga techniques improve girls' knowledge about managing PMS?

Yes. After the teaching program, girls' knowledge about using yoga for PMS increased significantly, with post-test scores more than double the pre-test scores.

Interview study, 2020

How does the menstrual cycle affect female elite athletes?

Most athletes reported menstrual symptoms that they felt harmed their performance. Two-thirds took medication to try to feel better during their cycle.

Survey study, 2020

How do women's feelings about their bodies affect their PMS distress?

Women's distress from PMS is connected to how they feel about their changing bodies during the menstrual cycle, especially feelings of discomfort with weight and appearance. Psychological therapy that helps women accept these changes can reduce this distress.

Survey study, 2020

How common is PMS among teenage girls in Nepal, and what do they know about it?

Most teenage girls in Nepal do not know much about PMS. About 6 out of 10 experience PMS, with about 7 out of 10 reporting fatigue before their period.

Case report, 2020

What causes severe psychiatric symptoms that recur with the menstrual cycle, and how should they be treated?

Menstrual psychosis is a rare condition where severe psychiatric symptoms occur cyclically with menstruation. Hormonal therapy is more effective than antipsychotic medications alone.

Survey study, 2020

What are the most common PMS symptoms and how much do they disrupt daily life?

Painful periods affected 63% of women and 40% said their routine was disrupted during their period. However, the study was in one community in Pakistan and only recorded current symptoms, not tracked changes over time.

Survey study, 2020

Do negative attitudes about menstruation and suggestibility predict worse PMS pain and distress?

Yes. Women with more negative attitudes about menstruation and higher suggestibility had significantly greater pain intensity and higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Study, 2020

Does gentle yoga help reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

In a month-long trial, adolescent girls reported that gentle yoga somewhat reduced pain, though the benefit was limited because the yoga was only done once during the organized intervention.

Case report, 2020

How do psychotic symptoms connected to the menstrual cycle look in different parts of the world?

In a study of 4 women in Oman with menstrual psychosis, all had psychotic and mood symptoms timed to their menstrual cycle. All had normal intelligence but had problems with thinking speed, memory, and planning skills.

Review, 2020

Does suppressing your true self in relationships contribute to women's mental health problems including PMDD?

Theory suggests that women who suppress their authentic thoughts and feelings in relationships may develop psychiatric conditions including PMDD. However, research specifically testing this connection is limited.

Survey study, 2020

Does menstruation trigger symptoms in people with Behçet's disease?

Menstruation was rarely reported as a trigger. An irregular menstrual cycle triggered mouth ulcers in only 2 out of 60 patients. Food items like eggplant and walnut, as well as psychological stress, were much more commonly reported as triggers.

Survey study, 2020

Can teaching about PMS management improve girls' knowledge?

Yes. Before teaching, all girls had below-average knowledge about managing PMS. After the teaching program, most girls had average or good knowledge.

Survey study, 2019

Are PMS symptoms linked to how women feel about their health and stress?

Yes. Women who reported feeling unhealthy or stressed had much more severe PMS symptoms. How a woman perceives her own health was the strongest factor linked to PMS symptom severity.

Survey study, 2019

Can teaching about lifestyle changes help girls understand how to prevent PMS?

Yes. Before teaching, 78% of girls had poor knowledge about PMS prevention. After the teaching program, 38% had good knowledge and 60% had average knowledge.

Survey study, 2019

Does teaching about PMS improve nursing students' knowledge?

Yes. The teaching program increased students' knowledge about PMS and its management. However, this study measured knowledge gain only, not whether teaching helped improve actual PMS symptoms.

Interview study, 2019

How does PMS affect women's daily lives and relationships?

PMS significantly impacts quality of life and affects women's roles as mothers and wives. Psychological symptoms have a particularly strong effect. Women need acknowledgement and support from family, friends, and healthcare providers.

Survey study, 2019

How common is PMS in young women and what coping methods do they use?

PMS was very common: 96% of 84 paramedical students reported it. The most common symptoms were acne (56%) and anger/irritability (60%). Most used simple remedies like drinking hot or cold beverages (46%), which may not be effective.

Survey study, 2019

Is stress linked to PMS?

Women with PMS had significantly higher stress levels than healthy women. But stress and eating behaviour together showed only a weak link to PMS, so they may not be the main causes.

Randomised trial, 2019

Does taking chromium help with mood symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle?

In this very small early study, chromium supplementation was linked to reduced mood symptoms in most of the women taking part, but with only a handful of participants this cannot be seen as strong proof.

Survey study, 2019

What are the best ways to manage PMS?

PMS is managed in four steps: create awareness and make lifestyle changes, then offer therapy and complementary treatments, then medication if needed, and rarely surgery. This summarizes international guidelines but doesn't show strong evidence about which approach works best.

Non-randomised trial, 2019

Does an education program help nursing students with PMS improve knowledge and reduce symptoms?

Yes. The education program clearly increased knowledge and reduced PMS symptoms. Students also lost weight, dropping from an average of 77.4 kg to 68.89 kg.

Survey study, 2019

What factors affect PMS severity in teenage girls?

Sleep patterns, stress, attitudes about menstruation, and limiting exposure to chemicals all affected PMS severity. Together these factors explained 37% of the differences in PMS severity.

Survey study, 2019

Does the Arabic version of the Premenstrual Screening Tool accurately diagnose PMDD?

The Arabic screening tool correctly identified women without PMDD but missed many who had it. It had high specificity (95.6%) but low sensitivity (26.7%), so it can still be useful in primary care settings but needs improvement.

Survey study, 2019

How common are PMS and PMDD in college girls?

About 14.3% of college girls in this study had moderate to severe PMS and 3.7% had PMDD. We cannot be very confident these figures apply elsewhere because this is a cross-sectional survey from one city.

Non-randomised trial, 2018

Does teaching adolescent girls about PMS improve their knowledge?

Yes. After teaching, 64% had excellent knowledge and 36% had good knowledge, compared to 0% before. However, without a control group, we cannot confirm the teaching caused this improvement.

Survey study, 2018

How common are PMS and PMDD among medical students in South India?

Of 635 medical students surveyed, 177 had PMS and 88 had PMDD. The most common symptoms were anger or irritability, feeling tearful or overly sensitive, and fatigue or lack of energy.

Survey study, 2018

Does men's awareness of PMS affect marital satisfaction in women with PMS?

The study found that men's awareness of PMS and having PMS symptoms were linked to marital satisfaction. Because this is a survey, we cannot be sure if awareness causes better relationships or if they just occur together.

Interview study, 2018

How do adolescents perceive PMDD symptoms?

Adolescents had two different views of PMDD. Some saw it as a natural part of being female, while others saw it as a disease. The study included only 6 girls, so findings may not apply to all teenagers.

Survey study, 2018

How aware are men of what PMS is and how it affects their partners?

This abstract only describes the background and purpose of the study; it does not give the actual results on men's awareness, attitude, or behavior regarding PMS.

Survey study, 2018

Does knowing about PMS affect how teenagers manage it?

Most midwifery students (85%) had low knowledge about PMS, and about 53% had adequate attitudes toward managing it. The study found a relationship between knowledge and attitudes about PMS.

Survey study, 2018

What affects quality of life in nursing students with premenstrual syndrome?

Premenstrual syndrome is the strongest factor affecting quality of life in nursing students, though being younger and eating bland food also matter. These three factors explain 17.6% of why quality of life varies, so other things are important too.

Non-randomised trial, 2018

Does teaching teenagers about PMS with booklets or leaflets increase their knowledge?

Yes, both methods significantly increased knowledge (p=0.001 for each), with booklet education more effective than leaflets (p=0.002).

Survey study, 2018

Can nutrition education about soy foods help with PMS?

Yes. Four education sessions about isoflavone foods increased what students knew, how they felt about soy, and how much they ate these foods. PMS symptoms decreased slowly as students ate more of these foods.

Survey study, 2018

Do women with PMS sleep differently than women without PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS had worse sleep quality, more unrefreshing sleep, more insomnia symptoms, and lower oxygen levels during sleep. The study couldn't explain why.

Survey study, 2018

How aware are female students about PMS and PMDD, and do they seek treatment?

Most female students (96.4%) knew about PMS but only 19% knew about PMDD, and nearly half did not take treatment for their symptoms. These numbers reliably describe this student group.

Survey study, 2018

Is PMS linked to attitudes about traditional gender roles?

Yes. Women with more traditional attitudes about gender roles had more PMS symptoms, especially depression and swelling. But this is correlation only, so we can't prove gender attitudes cause PMS.

Survey study, 2018

How common are painful periods and PMS in teenage and young adult girls?

Both painful periods (92%) and PMS (86.3%) were very common and strongly linked. These numbers come from a large population-based study of girls in one Egyptian city.

Survey study, 2018

How aware are college women of PMS and related menstrual conditions?

Most women experience menstrual symptoms but lack knowledge about them. Over 60% did not know about PMS, severe PMS (PMDD), or dysmenorrhea.

Interview study, 2018

What are young women's experiences and feelings about menstruation?

Eight Iranian university students described menstruation as shameful, secret, and often painful. Many felt frightened and unprepared when menstruation started because they did not receive enough information from family or school.

Study, 2017

Are women over-diagnosed with mental illness because of psychiatry's gender bias?

The author argues yes. Women, particularly those who are working-class, Black, older, or lesbian, are at higher risk of over-diagnosis. PMS and PMDD are used as examples of how normal female biology gets labeled as mental illness.

Survey study, 2017

What knowledge do nursing students have about premenstrual syndrome and its management?

The abstract provided does not include results from this study, so findings cannot be reported.

Survey study, 2017

What do adolescent girls know about how PMS affects emotions and mood?

Many adolescent girls had limited knowledge about how PMS affects emotions. An informational booklet significantly improved their knowledge about PMS and its psychological effects.

Interview study, 2017

What is the experience of living with PMDD and how well do doctors understand it?

Women with PMDD reported severe suffering including suicidal thoughts and felt misunderstood by both doctors and family members.

Cohort study, 2017

Is acceptance therapy (ACT) more effective than other treatments for PMS?

Yes, for stress. ACT reduced emotional PMS symptoms and perceived stress more than cognitive behavioral therapy or no treatment, with stress improvements lasting at follow-up.

Survey study, 2017

Can diet help with PMS symptoms?

Diet may affect PMS. High intake of tea, coffee, cola, alcohol, chocolate, and sugary snacks is linked to worse symptoms, while adequate milk and certain minerals may help.

Survey study, 2017

How is a woman's attitude about menstruation related to her PMS?

A woman's attitudes about menstruation are linked to how much PMS distress she experiences and how well she copes. A more positive attitude appears to help with managing PMS.

Non-randomised trial, 2017

What biological mechanism might cause premenstrual syndrome and could a herbal medicine help?

In rats with stress-like PMS symptoms, a protein called MOR may play a role, and a herbal medicine (Shu-Yu capsule) may help by reducing this protein. This is rat research, not human research.

Interview study, 2017

What is it like to live with PMDD and how do you experience healthcare?

Women with PMDD reported severe suffering including suicidal thoughts and inability to do daily tasks premenstrually. Most felt misunderstood by family and healthcare providers, and many waited a long time for diagnosis.

Survey study, 2017

Is PMS linked to personality temperament types?

No clear link was found between PMS and different temperament types in this study. Although some temperament types seemed to have more PMS, the overall pattern was not significant.

Survey study, 2016

How aware are Indian women of PMS?

This survey of 305 Indian women found that most were not aware of PMS and very few gave correct answers about what it is. The lack of awareness likely stems from menstruation being a taboo topic in India.

Survey study, 2016

Does teaching women about PMS help reduce their symptoms?

Yes, in this study. Women who received an educational program showed increased knowledge about PMS and reduced symptom severity both immediately after and at three-month follow-up. However, the study lacked a comparison group, so natural improvement cannot be ruled out.

Study, 2016

How do women experience PMS and what helps them manage it?

Women's experiences depend on their cultural beliefs, family support, how well doctors understood their condition, and how much symptoms affect daily life. Many women use traditional treatments alongside or instead of medical care.

Survey study, 2016

Does knowing more about menstruation help girls avoid or reduce premenstrual syndrome?

Girls with less knowledge about menstruation are more likely to experience PMS symptoms. We cannot be sure whether better knowledge prevents PMS or whether girls with PMS are less likely to learn about menstruation.

Survey study, 2016

Are negative attitudes about menstruation and PMS symptoms linked to burnout in nurses?

Yes. Nurses with negative attitudes about menstruation or PMS symptoms are more likely to experience burnout and work stress. PMS and age are the biggest factors linked to burnout.

Survey study, 2016

What do women in Saudi Arabia know and think about PMS?

Only 14.1% of women correctly knew PMS was a medical condition. Most were unaware they should seek medical help for it.

Survey study, 2016

Does how you feel about your body change across the menstrual cycle?

Yes, teenage girls in this study felt worse about their bodies in the days before their period compared with other times in the cycle, even after accounting for their weight.

Survey study, 2016

Is the severity of PMS that women perceive related to their knowledge and actual recorded symptoms?

Women with more knowledge about PMS perceived severity differently, but their perceived severity did not match what they actually recorded in a daily diary.

Case-control study, 2015

Are brain connections different in women with PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS had decreased connectivity in some brain regions involved in emotion and memory, and increased connectivity in other regions. They also reported higher anxiety and depression.

Survey study, 2015

Are eating attitudes different in adolescents with PMS?

Yes. Both what adolescents eat and their attitudes toward eating differ in those with PMS compared to those without. Most adolescents with PMS experienced multiple symptoms including fatigue (93.5%), irritability (91.6%), and depressive feelings (88.8%).

Interview study, 2015

What are the symptoms of PMDD and how many women have it?

PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. About 90% of women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 4.6% to 6.4% meet criteria for PMDD, and about 5% experience severe symptoms.

Study, 2015

Should premenstrual dysphoric disorder be classified as a mental illness?

A bioethicist argues PMDD should not be classified as a psychiatric disorder because doing so pathologizes normal anger and distress. This is a philosophical perspective, not based on a research study.

Survey study, 2015

Does having more knowledge about PMS affect whether women get PMS symptoms?

No. The study found no significant relationship between knowledge level about PMS and whether women actually experienced symptoms.

Survey study, 2015

Do young women recognize how PMS affects work performance?

Most students (79.4%) ignored PMS when rating employee performance, while 6.9% considered it. Students who perceived daily function problems from PMS were significantly more likely to consider it in evaluations. This shows many lack awareness.

Survey study, 2015

Do Saudi women understand PMS and would they seek medical care for it?

56% of women had PMS but only 8.9% recognized it as a medical condition. Only 11.6% would consult a doctor if they had it.

Survey study, 2014

What factors cause PMS in teenage girls?

Daily hassles had the biggest effect on PMS in teenage girls. Other factors included age at first period, body weight, menstrual flow amount, test anxiety, social support, attitudes about menstruation, and femininity, but not school stress.

Survey study, 2014

Do sexist attitudes and beliefs about menstruation affect how much women experience PMS symptoms?

Yes, women with stronger traditional gender role beliefs reported more mood and concentration-related PMS symptoms. Beliefs about menstruation linked to sexism appear to influence how severe some PMS symptoms feel.

Survey study, 2014

How much do teenage nursing students know about PMS?

Most of the teenage students studied did not know enough about premenstrual syndrome, with insufficient knowledge being the most common result.

Survey study, 2014

Does education about complementary and alternative medicine help young women learn to manage PMS?

Yes, significantly. After the educational session, female nursing students showed major improvements in knowledge about PMS and various complementary approaches including diet, herbs, and mind-body techniques.

Interview study, 2014

What do men think about partners with PMS and how does it affect their behavior?

Men's views about PMS are shaped by seeing it as a medical problem rather than part of a normal cycle. This belief changes how couples relate to each other.

Cohort study, 2014

Does exposure to PFOS or PFOA chemicals affect menstrual cycles?

Higher exposure to PFOA was linked to longer menstrual cycles. However, this was a cross-sectional study that cannot prove the chemicals caused the change.

Survey study, 2014

Do women's asthma symptoms get worse around their period?

Up to 40 percent of asthmatic women may have worse asthma around their period. Doctors think female hormones affect the lungs, but they don't fully understand how and need more research.

Survey study, 2014

Do premenstrual symptoms relate to school stress?

Girls reported more symptoms at one point in their cycle, and school deadlines were linked to more symptoms during that time, suggesting stress and symptoms may be connected.

Study, 2014

How do men on online forums talk about PMS?

Men's posts mostly described PMS as a hormonal disorder, excuse, or nuisance, with some men describing themselves as victimized. However, a small number of posts emphasized the importance of supporting their partners.

Survey study, 2014

What makes PMS worse in college women, stress or how they feel about periods?

Both matter. Women with higher stress and a more negative attitude toward menstruation tended to have worse PMS, along with smoking and painful periods, but together these only explained about a quarter of the difference between women.

Survey study, 2013

Is health anxiety connected to PMS and PMDD?

Yes, women with PMS and PMDD reported significantly more health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity than those with mild or no PMS. These links remained even after accounting for general anxiety, and both groups reported worse quality of life overall.

Survey study, 2013

How do lifestyle and attitudes about periods affect PMS severity?

Negative attitudes about menstruation and problematic alcohol use are linked to worse PMS, and painful periods (dysmenorrhea) are most strongly linked to worse PMS. These are associations, not proof of cause and effect.

Survey study, 2013

What do Brazilian men understand about premenstrual syndrome?

Most Brazilian men (86%) have heard of PMS, but awareness and understanding are significantly higher in more educated men and those with higher income.

Survey study, 2012

Is there a link between attitudes toward menstruation and PMS symptoms?

Women with PMS symptoms were more likely to see menstruation as debilitating. This shows correlation but does not prove that attitudes cause worse symptoms.

Survey study, 2011

Does being more exposed to American culture raise the risk of PMDD in ethnic minority women?

Yes, women born in the US, those who immigrated at a young age, and those who had lived longer in the US were more likely to have had PMDD, but this is based on a one-time survey so cause and effect cannot be proven.

Survey study, 2011

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

Many women dislike menstruation mainly because it is inconvenient or uncomfortable, and it interferes with school (22%) and relationships (43%), though some women value it for confirming health.

Survey study, 2011

How common are PMS symptoms in teenage girls, and do they get help for them?

Most teenage girls in this study had mood and physical symptoms before their period that affected school and social life, but very few ever saw a doctor about it.

Survey study, 2011

Can military women successfully use birth control pills to stop their periods in field conditions?

Only 21% of military women used birth control pills continuously during deployment to stop periods, mostly because taking a pill daily in harsh field conditions is difficult. Compliant users had fewer period problems than non-compliant users.

Interview study, 2011

How do teenage girls in Malaysia learn about and manage periods and PMS?

Many girls are not prepared for periods when they arrive, and both urban and rural girls manage PMS and period pain on their own without seeing a doctor.

Randomised trial, 2011

Does the Chinese herbal formula Baixiangdan help PMS symptoms by changing nerve cell activity?

In rat studies, the formula reduced PMS-like behaviors and enhanced nerve cell survival and GABA receptor activity, which affects mood and anxiety.

Review, 2010

How should mental health professionals approach PMDD?

Mental health practitioners should provide a clear diagnosis and use a step-by-step treatment plan. PMDD involves biological, psychological, and social factors, though exactly how they interact needs more research.

Survey study, 2010

Do women who notice negative life events more tend to have worse PMS symptoms?

Women whose PMS symptoms worsened the most through their cycle were more likely to focus on negative life events and overlook positive ones, suggesting a thinking pattern linked to PMS.

Study, 2010

How do people's beliefs about PMS affect how they view women?

This student paper found that negative beliefs about menstruation and PMS influence how both men and women judge women's behavior.

Survey study, 2010

What do Brazilian women believe about PMS and what symptoms do they report?

Most Brazilian women (96.1%) had heard of PMS, and 60.3% thought they had it. The most commonly reported symptoms were nervousness and anxiety (76.4%) and mood swings (55.7%).

Survey study, 2010

How common are PMS and PMDD, and who is more likely to get them?

About 10.3% of women had PMS and 3.1% had PMDD. Both were strongly linked with poor physical health and psychological distress. Rates were higher in unmarried women and those aged 35-44.

Interview study, 2009

How do women's thoughts about themselves and their relationships change with menstrual cycle symptoms?

Women with high PMS symptoms had difficulty accepting imperfection in themselves and others, felt alone and overwhelmed, and had relationship tensions. Women with low symptoms were more laid back and had stronger support networks.

Survey study, 2009

Does body dissatisfaction change across the menstrual cycle?

Body dissatisfaction was significantly higher during premenstrual and menstrual phases. However, actual perception of body size did not change across the cycle.

Survey study, 2009

Do female pilots want to suppress their periods with birth control, and does continuous birth control help?

Most wanted menstrual suppression but few actually used continuous birth control. Those who did had fewer side effects and were better at remembering to take pills.

Survey study, 2009

Does skipping breakfast affect menstrual cramps and irregular periods?

Yes. Women who skipped breakfast had worse menstrual cramps, irregular periods, and poor general health compared to those who ate breakfast. This was a survey where women reported their own habits, so we can't be sure breakfast directly causes these problems.

Non-randomised trial, 2009

Does the menstrual cycle affect pain relief from exercise?

No, the menstrual cycle phase does not affect how much pain relief women get from exercise. Pain relief and other physical responses were similar in both the follicular and luteal phases.

Review, 2009

What causes PMDD and how should it be treated?

PMDD affects up to 7% of women severely. It results from biological factors interacting with life stress, past trauma, and cultural beliefs, not from hormones alone.

Survey study, 2008

Does how well women recognize emotions change during the menstrual cycle?

Women recognized emotions better during the follicular phase when progesterone levels were lower. This suggests progesterone may affect how well women read emotions in faces.

Survey study, 2008

How common is PMDD in African women and what factors are linked to it?

6.1% of Nigerian university students had PMDD. It was strongly linked to depression (17 times more likely), anxiety, panic disorder, painful periods, and a personality trait called neuroticism.

Survey study, 2008

Do dietitians know about omega-3 fatty acids and PMS?

Most dietitians know omega-3 is healthy, but only 31% knew research links omega-3 to PMS symptoms. Dietitians without PMS ate more omega-3 than those with PMS.

Survey study, 2008

Does smoking cause menstrual problems?

Yes, in this study. Smoking women had higher rates of menstrual problems including painful periods, sore breasts, and mood changes before their period.

Survey study, 2007

Do some women with asthma have worse asthma around their period?

Yes. About 11.3% of menstruating women with asthma had significantly worse asthma around their period, and these women had more severe asthma overall and more emergency visits.

Survey study, 2007

Does gender identity type affect premenstrual symptoms and health behaviors?

Yes. Different gender identity types had significantly different levels of symptoms and health-promoting behaviors.

Review, 2007

Does taking birth control to skip your period improve quality of life if you have menstrual problems?

Yes. Birth control pills taken continuously to skip periods may improve quality of life and reduce problems caused by monthly periods, such as pain or severe symptoms.

Study, 2006

How has our understanding of PMS changed over time?

Our understanding of PMS has evolved from purely biological or purely psychological explanations to a combined approach that recognizes genetics, hormones, environment, and culture all play a role.

Survey study, 2006

How common are PMS and period problems in teen girls, and do attitudes affect school attendance?

Among urban teens, PMS is very common (84%) and period pain affects 65 percent. Girls with negative expectations about periods are significantly more likely to miss school and activities.

Study, 2006

How should we think about menstruation and PMS differently?

The author argues that women need accurate information about their bodies instead of myths, and that treating PMS as a collection of symptoms rather than a biological process could help us understand and support women better.

Non-randomised trial, 2006

Does PMS nutrition education help college students with PMS?

Students who received 8 weeks of nutrition education showed significant increases in PMS knowledge and self health behavior compared to control students.

Randomised trial, 2005

Does pain during dental treatment change depending on where a woman is in her menstrual cycle?

Yes. Women experienced significantly more pain during the peri-menstrual phase (menstruation or pre-menstruation) than during the post-menstrual phase (mid-cycle).

Survey study, 2005

What are the main symptoms and impacts of severe period pain in teenage girls?

The most common symptoms are cramps, tiredness, backache, swollen belly, and tender breasts. Teenagers with worse symptoms miss more school and take more painkillers.

Review, 2005

How does Traditional Chinese Medicine view and treat premenstrual syndrome?

Traditional Chinese Medicine has used herbal medicines to treat PMS for centuries, but very few of these treatments have been rigorously studied using modern research methods.

Study, 2004

Did SSRIs change what people thought of as depression in women?

Between 1985 and 2000, as SSRIs became available for PMDD and related conditions, popular media began describing menstruation, motherhood, and childbirth as potential signs of depression.

Case report, 2004

Can untreated PMS make high blood pressure harder to control?

In 2 women, their high blood pressure became easy to control with medication once their PMS was recognized and treated, whereas before it had been very difficult to manage.

Review, 2003

Is PMDD just a biological problem, or do stress and life experience matter too?

This review argues PMDD is not only biological; life stress, a history of sexual abuse, and cultural background also matter, though as a review it does not provide its own new numbers or data.

Case-control study, 2003

Do women with PMDD have different attitudes toward menstruation?

Yes, women with PMDD reported more negative attitudes toward menstruation and more negative views of their mothers from childhood. This is one study in one city, so findings may differ elsewhere.

Interview study, 2003

Is how 'feminine' a woman feels linked to how much she suffers from PMS?

The study found a statistically significant link between scoring higher on traditional femininity and reporting more premenstrual distress, but this kind of study cannot prove that one causes the other.

Survey study, 2003

How common is PMS and what factors are associated with it in college-aged women in Saudi Arabia?

96.6% experienced at least one premenstrual symptom and 37.5% had high severity. Risk factors included maternal history of PMS, perceived mental stress, physical inactivity, and consuming sweet foods and coffee, though these explained only 14% of symptom variation.

Survey study, 2003

Does crying actually increase before menstruation?

Women reported more crying before their period across 33 countries, but when women kept actual diaries of their crying, no real increase appeared in any menstrual phase. The belief may matter more than the actual change.

Survey study, 2002

How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder among women in Morocco?

About half of 618 women interviewed in Casablanca met criteria for PMDD, with the most common symptoms being appetite changes, depressed mood, and emotional instability.

Case-control study, 2002

Do women with PMDD have worse cognitive function during their menstrual cycle?

Tests found no significant differences in cognitive function between women with PMDD and controls, despite the PMDD group reporting cognitive problems. The researchers suggest these complaints may come from how women perceive things rather than actual cognitive deficits.

Survey study, 2002

Does menstrual cycle phase affect asthma or anxiety symptoms?

No. This study found no significant connection between menstrual cycle phase and these symptoms. The sample size was not reported in the abstract.

Survey study, 2002

Do girls' attitudes about menstruation affect what symptoms they expect?

Yes. Girls who view menstruation as negative expect more negative symptoms like cramps and mood swings. Girls who view it positively expect more positive experiences. Girls' expectations appear shaped by cultural attitudes rather than personal experience.

Review, 2002

Does noticing bodily changes cause PMS symptoms?

Women who pay close attention to bodily sensations experienced mood changes with their cycle, while women who do not notice bodily cues showed no cycle effects. Reminding cycle-aware women of their cycle stage prevented symptoms.

Study, 2002

How do women's thoughts and coping affect PMDD?

Through interviews, researchers found that women with PMDD often feel overly responsible for everything and out of control. Their symptoms develop from interactions between their feelings, thoughts, relationships, and cultural expectations.

Lab study, 2002

How does the body trigger menstrual bleeding?

A molecule called LEFTY-A plays a key role by increasing dramatically before your period and triggering breakdown of the womb lining. Progesterone normally stops this from happening.

Review, 2002

How did PMS and PMDD become recognized as medical conditions?

Historical, cultural, political, and economic forces shaped the diagnosis of PMS and PMDD, which became popular among doctors, the public, and women. These diagnostic labels can be helpful but also harmful to women.

Interview study, 2002

How do women actually experience and talk about PMS compared to public discussion?

Women's private experience of PMS is very different from public discussion. Men and media often talk negatively about PMS, but women's own experiences are often less severe. Many women think PMS is important to discuss, but they rarely talk about their own PMS.

Survey study, 2001

How does a woman's attitude toward menstruation relate to her premenstrual symptoms?

A clear connection was found between how women view menstruation and their premenstrual symptoms. Women who saw menstruation as weakening them physically and emotionally experienced more premenstrual symptoms.

Study, 2001

How do tissue-breakdown proteins get turned on during a period?

Tissue contains special proteins that break down the uterine lining during menstruation. During a period, one type of protein is turned on by another protein when hormone levels drop.

Lab study, 2001

Does how women perceive time change with their menstrual cycle?

Yes, in healthy women, but not in women with PMS. Healthy women's internal clock seemed to run slower during the morning and during the late luteal phase, but women with PMS showed no pattern.

Survey study, 2001

Do gynecologists feel as responsible for treating depression as they do for treating severe PMS?

No. Gynecologists reported different attitudes toward PMDD compared with major depressive disorder, and many did not see treating depression as their job in the same way.

Survey study, 2001

How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions?

About 75-85% of women report some premenstrual symptoms, but only 10-15% seek care and 2-5% experience serious disruption to work or social life. PMS may worsen other psychiatric conditions.

Study, 2001

Does estrogen or progesterone affect magnesium levels in brain blood vessels?

Yes. High levels of estrogen and progesterone both decrease magnesium in brain blood vessel cells. Low progesterone increases magnesium. This may explain why migraines happen more often before the period.

Survey study, 2001

Do women's beliefs about PMS change how they remember their symptoms?

Women report more premenstrual symptoms when remembering them than when tracking them day by day. Women who believe PMS is very common are especially likely to exaggerate their remembered symptoms.

Study, 2000

Do immune cells help break down the uterine lining during menstruation?

Lab tests suggest they do play a role, but the process is tightly regulated by other molecules to prevent excessive tissue damage.

Lab study, 2000

Does calling PMS a psychiatric condition change how people think about it?

Labeling it as a psychiatric condition increased recommendations for psychiatric help. However, it did not cause the widespread negative effects like increased stigma or misuse that some people feared.

Lab study, 2000

Does the menstrual cycle change how your brain responds to sexual images?

Yes. During ovulation, the brain showed a larger electrical response to sexual images compared to other image types, but only when women were emotionally processing the images.

Randomised trial, 1999

What are women's own views about premenstrual syndrome?

Women see PMS as part of their menstrual cycle experience rather than a separate disease. Most do not find it severely debilitating and value having multiple treatment options and support from other women.

Survey study, 1999

Does education about PMS help reduce symptoms in teenage girls?

Yes. Girls who received education about PMS reported significantly lower symptom scores 3 months later, while girls in the control group showed no change.

Cohort study, 1999

Do cultural attitudes about menstruation influence how severely women experience premenstrual symptoms?

Cultural background and negative messages about menstruation were linked to reporting more severe symptoms. However, evidence suggests attitudes may be shaped by actual experiences rather than causing them.

Non-randomised trial, 1999

Can changing how women think about their cycle reduce PMS symptoms?

Women who attended support groups with positive messages about the menstrual cycle reported fewer negative symptoms than a comparison group. This wasn't a randomized trial, so we cannot be certain the reframing itself caused the improvement.

Survey study, 1999

Does learning about PMS make women perceive their symptoms as more severe?

Yes. Women who watched a video about PMS and its negative effects reported significantly more severe premenstrual symptoms afterward, while women who watched a video about the menstrual cycle showed no change.

Survey study, 1999

Does the Chinese version of the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire work as well as English?

Yes, mostly. Most items translated equivalently between English and Chinese, though some items could be improved further.

Interview study, 1999

How do healthy women perceive and understand their premenstrual symptoms?

Women view premenstrual symptoms as normal, everyday experiences rather than a medical problem. They explain these experiences through a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors and manage them with regular strategies.

Case report, 1998

Does how women manage anger affect how bad their PMS gets?

No, not significantly. Women who coped with anger differently had similar PMS severity. But stress from work and family life was linked to worse PMS.

Review, 1998

What approaches are most suitable for treating premenstrual syndrome?

PMS should be treated with individualized therapy based on each woman's specific symptoms and the underlying neuroendocrinological imbalance responsible for her symptoms.

Survey study, 1998

How common is PMS in women of reproductive age and what factors increase the risk?

30.4% had PMS, with most having mild to moderate symptoms. Women with higher stress, depression symptoms, painful periods, and higher education level had higher rates.

Cohort study, 1997

Does counseling that reframes menstrual experiences help PMS?

Yes, counseling combining social support and positive reframing reduced PMS impairment and depression. However, this was a very small study without a control group, so results are preliminary.

Survey study, 1997

Does learning about PMDD as a diagnosis change how women think about their symptoms?

Learning that PMDD is a diagnosis didn't change women's own symptom reports, but it did make them more likely to see premenstrual problems as a psychiatric issue for women in general.

Study, 1997

What are the menstrual and premenstrual experiences of Black women in Zimbabwe?

Black Zimbabwean women experience menstruation and premenstruation in ways shaped by culture and education. Professional women and domestic workers report different explanations for why menstruation happens and report different physical and emotional symptoms.

Survey study, 1997

Does menstrual cycle phase affect how women perceive things?

Menstrual cycle phase overall did not affect perception or mood. However, mood and face perception were linked across the cycle. This small study (24 women) does not show whether mood affects perception, perception affects mood, or both relate to another factor.

Survey study, 1997

How common is asthma worsening related to the menstrual cycle?

About 23 percent of female asthma patients in this study reported that their asthma got worse during their menstrual cycle, usually in the week before their period. This form of asthma was often more severe.

Survey study, 1997

Does PMS cause women to miss work or do their jobs worse?

No clear difference in work performance, sick days, or stress between women at different cycle phases or compared to men. Women with self-reported PMS showed no problems specifically during their premenstrual phase; instead, they reported high stress and health problems across their entire cycle.

Case-control study, 1997

Are PMDD and eating disorders related?

Possibly. PMDD and eating disorders share high rates of mood and anxiety disorders and a personality trait called harm avoidance, but this small study cannot confirm they share a common cause.

Cohort study, 1996

Do PMS mood swings really rise before a period, or is that just how we remember it?

In this small study, physical symptoms like fatigue, pain and breast tenderness were confirmed to rise around the period, but mood swings and irritability were not confirmed when tracked day by day, even though women recalled them as worse premenstrually when asked after the fact.

Interview study, 1995

How should we study and understand premenstrual syndrome?

The researchers argue that current PMS research is fragmented and incomplete, and that we need better methods that listen to women's experiences and consider their identity and social situation.

Survey study, 1995

Do some women report having PMS when they don't actually have it?

Some women reported high typical PMS symptoms but their actual daily symptom tracking showed no clear pattern. These women tended to have more negative feelings overall, though the effect was small.

Survey study, 1995

What premenstrual symptoms do Chinese women in Hong Kong experience?

Fatigue was the most common symptom. Pain, water retention, behavior changes, and mood changes each occurred in more than 64% of women, with pain being more prominent than in Western studies.

Review, 1995

Who benefits from treating premenstrual symptoms as a medical condition called PMS?

This paper argues that PMS is not purely a biological illness but also a concept shaped by culture, history and politics, and that after decades of research there is still no agreement on how to define, explain or treat it.

Study, 1995

What do women with PMS believe causes it and what treatments do they want?

Women seeking help for PMS experience a wide range of symptoms and report high levels of distress. They believe both emotional and physical factors cause PMS and want treatment addressing both sides.

Non-randomised trial, 1995

Does cognitive behaviour therapy help premenstrual dysphoric symptoms?

Both cognitive behaviour therapy and a comparison treatment improved anxiety, depression, negative thoughts and physical symptoms. It's unclear how much came from the therapy itself since both groups improved similarly.

Survey study, 1995

Is PMS as common and severe as most people believe, or is this belief shaped by culture rather than science?

This paper argues that serious premenstrual mental or behavioural problems are actually uncommon, but the wider belief that PMS badly affects most women persists anyway, partly because of cultural attitudes rather than solid evidence.

Survey study, 1995

Is premenstrual syndrome a real, clearly defined medical condition?

This historical review finds that the idea of PMS as a clear syndrome is uncertain. Symptoms have been recognised for decades, but they respond to placebo treatments as well as active ones, and some researchers doubt the term 'syndrome' is justified.

Survey study, 1995

What problems exist in how PMS research is conducted?

Current research fails to describe women's actual experiences, ignores cultural context, and assumes biology directly causes behavior. Better insights might come from anthropological and sociological studies that question what PMS means to women.

Cohort study, 1994

Do a woman's PMS symptoms predict what symptoms she will have at menopause?

Yes. The type and severity of premenstrual symptoms significantly predict the type and severity of menopausal symptoms a woman experiences 10 years later.

Survey study, 1994

Do women with PMS perceive stress and social support differently at different times in their menstrual cycle?

Yes. All women perceived more stressors as severe during the premenstrual phase, but only women with PMS reported lower satisfaction with their social support and self-esteem at that time. This suggests the cycle affects how women with PMS view their stress and relationships.

Survey study, 1993

Does cognitive ability change during different phases of the menstrual cycle?

No. Women performed equally well on verbal and spatial thinking tests regardless of menstrual cycle phase.

Case report, 1992

Can a woman's feelings about being feminine or masculine play a part in premenstrual distress?

In this single case, a woman's premenstrual distress was linked to an unconscious fantasy that her genitals were damaged, tied to conflicting feminine and masculine feelings. This comes from one person's therapy, so it cannot tell us how common this is.

Survey study, 1992

Do women with more premenstrual symptoms have unhelpful thinking patterns?

Women reporting more premenstrual symptoms had higher scores on the 'need for comfort' thinking pattern, indicating they struggled more with stress. We don't know if unhelpful thinking causes symptoms or symptoms cause unhelpful thinking.

Survey study, 1992

Why has it been so hard to define premenstrual syndrome?

Despite 58 years of research since 1931, doctors and researchers still cannot agree on what PMS is or which doctors should treat it. The paper argues that cultural beliefs about women have shaped how medicine understands PMS.

Survey study, 1991

Does how you smell things change during the menstrual cycle?

How sensitive women were to smells did not change during the menstrual cycle. However, how much women liked one smell (androstenone) showed a clear pattern across the cycle, peaking at ovulation.

Survey study, 1991

Are women with PMS less satisfied with their relationships?

Yes, women with PMS reported significantly more dissatisfaction with their marriages and sexual relationships than women without PMS. The study found no effect of age on this difference.

Survey study, 1991

What period symptoms do university students have, and how do they manage them?

Most students had some premenstrual and period symptoms, and about 23% described them as severe, but most did not see a doctor about it.

Survey study, 1991

What premenstrual symptoms do Icelandic women experience?

Icelandic women experience the same kinds of premenstrual symptoms as women in other countries, most commonly bloating, mood swings, irritability, and abdominal pain. Over 40% say these symptoms harm their relationships with partners and children.

Survey study, 1991

How do beliefs about menstruation affect premenstrual symptoms in India?

Women who see menstruation as natural and normal experience fewer distressing premenstrual symptoms. Women who see it as debilitating or unhealthy experience more distress.

Study, 1991

How did premenstrual syndrome become recognized as a social problem?

PMS became recognized as a social problem in the early 1980s through a combination of medical research, popular media, feminist writing, and a famous British legal case where two women charged with manslaughter used PMS as a defense.

Survey study, 1991

Does mood and symptoms change at different points in the menstrual cycle?

No. No differences were found in mood strength or symptom severity between different cycle phases. How strongly someone's mood changed was connected to how many symptoms they had, not to which part of the cycle they were in.

Study, 1990

Does mood or stress response change at different times of your menstrual cycle?

No clear differences were found. The study showed that mood and how blood pressure and heart rate respond to stress are similar shortly after menstruation and just before the next menstruation.

Study, 1990

Do men notice premenstrual changes in women?

Yes. 99 college men said they believe women experience premenstrual changes including mood swings, hostility, low self-esteem, physical discomfort, and behavioral changes.

Case report, 1990

Can fear of menstruation that stops periods be treated with therapy?

This single case shows that a woman whose periods had stopped due to fear of menstruation was helped by cognitive therapy (talking about her thoughts and beliefs), which increased her confidence and brought her periods back.

Case-control study, 1990

Do women with menstrual-related mood disorders perceive life events differently during their cycle?

Women with menstrual mood disorders reported significantly more negative events and experienced more distress from the same events during the premenstrual phase. This suggests perception changes with cycle timing.

Survey study, 1989

How common is premenstrual syndrome in female nursing students?

Only 6% of nursing students met criteria for premenstrual syndrome, with significant changes in just 3 symptom areas. Findings may vary by culture.

Survey study, 1989

Do mental health professionals support adding premenstrual dysphoric disorder to the psychiatric manual?

Most social workers surveyed did not support adding premenstrual dysphoric disorder to the manual, though many were undecided. This reflects professional debate about whether PMDD should be classified as a psychiatric diagnosis.

Survey study, 1989

Do mood disorders affect premenstrual depression and attention across the cycle?

Only 8 of 16 women with a mood disorder history actually had premenstrual depression when tracked daily. Those who did showed worse mood premenstrually, but both groups showed the same attention patterns in both phases.

Study, 1989

Does how the brain is organized for different tasks change across the menstrual cycle?

Yes. The brain's organization for recognizing faces changes across the cycle, but organization for recognizing words stays the same. During menstruation the right side dominates for faces, but during the premenstrual phase the left side becomes more involved.

Survey study, 1988

Do women blame different things for their moods at different cycle stages?

Yes. Women tended to blame health problems for bad moods before their period, but blamed environment and lifestyle for good moods. However, these attribution patterns did not match whether women actually had menstrual complaints.

Study, 1988

Do menstrual and premenstrual symptoms differ between women from different ethnic groups?

Yes. 69% reported premenstrual symptoms and 50.8% reported menstrual symptoms. The type of symptoms varied by ethnic group, with some women mainly reporting physical symptoms and others mainly psychological or behavioral symptoms.

Interview study, 1987

Is premenstrual syndrome unique to Western culture?

The author argues that PMS functions as a culture-specific syndrome reflecting conflicts about women's roles in Western society, though it also has biological roots. This is theoretical analysis, not research with patient data.

Survey study, 1986

What do general practitioners think about PMS and women who have it?

Most doctors believed PMS has a hormonal cause. About half thought women with PMS are no different from other women, while some thought they were more hypochondriacal, introverted, and intelligent. We don't know if these doctors' beliefs were actually correct.

Study, 1986

What progress have researchers made in understanding PMS?

Researchers are making progress in defining and diagnosing PMS, but many important questions remain about whether PMS is one condition or many, and how it relates to mental health conditions.

Study, 1986

Do women in the premenstrual phase see social situations differently than other women and men?

Yes. Women in the premenstrual phase reported feeling more dominant, energetic, indifferent, negative and tense when watching a social interaction, and they judged the situation and people differently than other women and men.

Survey study, 1986

Does the nervous system work differently before your period and does this affect your mood?

Yes. Before your period, women had lower brain alertness and higher nervous system activity, which were linked to more negative moods.

Survey study, 1983

How do women with premenstrual tension differ psychologically?

Women with premenstrual tension have lower self-esteem, more negative attitudes to menstruation, and feel less control over their lives than women without it.

Review, 1983

What are the main problems in PMS research, and how should psychological symptoms be treated?

Research has major flaws like inconsistent definitions and biased data collection that make it hard to know which treatment works. There is no reliable way yet to predict whether behavioral therapy, medication, nutrition, or hormones will help each person.

Survey study, 1982

Does how a girl experiences her first period affect her adult PMS symptoms?

No. Negative memories of first menstruation had little effect on current menstrual attitudes or symptoms. Current attitudes about menstruation were more strongly linked to current symptoms.

Study, 1980

Does sexual arousal change during the menstrual cycle?

Yes, when women report without knowing the study tracks cycles, sexual arousal is lowest when progesterone is high and highest around ovulation. When women know what's being tracked, they report differently, showing that awareness affects how people report feelings.

Study, 1980

Do women with PMS have different personality traits than women without it?

Yes. Women with PMS show higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism, and more negative feelings about their bodies and sexuality than women without PMS.

Cohort study, 1979

Are menstrual symptoms caused by beliefs about the menstrual cycle?

This is a theoretical review arguing that some menstrual symptoms may originate from biased beliefs and selective processing of menstrual cycle information, not just from physical changes. It is not original research.

Survey study, 1979

Is research on menstruation biased, and does it cause wrong conclusions about cause and effect?

Yes. Research often incorrectly assumes that because hormone levels, mood, and behavior all change together during the cycle, one must cause the other. A pilot study found that early education about menstruation was linked to better task performance.

Survey study, 1978

What beliefs do young people have about menstruation before and after it starts?

Young adolescents, even before their first period, believe menstruation brings physical discomfort, mood changes, and disrupted activities. These beliefs are largely negative and similar across pre-menarcheal girls, post-menarcheal girls, and boys.

Survey study, 1977

What do college women think and expect about how menstruation affects them?

College women generally see menstruation as normal and not very disruptive. They have complex beliefs about menstruation, with different expectations for how it affects physical symptoms versus mood.

Study, 1975

Does physical and mental work capacity change during the menstrual cycle?

Physical exertion feels harder during menstruation and reaction time is slightly slower. Heart rate and oxygen use do not change. Overall mental work capacity does not clearly change.

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