---
title: Do premenstrual symptoms make PTSD symptoms worse? | Niyora
description: Yes. Women with worse premenstrual symptoms had noticeably worse PTSD symptoms, especially if they were sensitive to anxiety.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/anxiety-sensitivity-as-a-moderator-of-the-association-between-premenstrual-2014/
---

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- Do premenstrual symptoms make PTSD symptoms worse?

Survey study, 2014

# Do premenstrual symptoms make PTSD symptoms worse?

Yes. Women with worse premenstrual symptoms had noticeably worse PTSD symptoms, especially if they were sensitive to anxiety.

 Early or limited evidence

63 trauma-exposed women

## What they did

Asked 63 women who had experienced trauma about their premenstrual symptoms, how sensitive they were to anxiety, and their PTSD symptoms.

## What they found

Women with worse premenstrual symptoms had worse overall PTSD symptoms, including worse reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal. This connection was strongest in women with high anxiety sensitivity.

## What it means for you

PMS symptoms may worsen PTSD symptoms, particularly in women sensitive to anxiety. The study was a single assessment so cause and effect cannot be proven. Women with high anxiety sensitivity appear most at risk.

63

trauma-exposed women

## About the study

Original title Anxiety Sensitivity as a Moderator of the Association Between Premenstrual Symptoms and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity Authors Nillni YI, Berenz EC, Pineles SL et al. Journal Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy Year 2014 Study design Survey study Participants 63 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1037/a0032087](https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032087)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)

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