--- title: Do adverse childhood experiences increase PMS and menstrual symptoms in adulthood? description: Yes. Women who experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences were nearly three times more likely to have severe premenstrual symptoms and more than f url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/association-between-adverse-childhood-experiences-and-menstruation-related-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do adverse childhood experiences increase PMS and menstrual symptoms in adulthood? Survey study, 2025 # Do adverse childhood experiences increase PMS and menstrual symptoms in adulthood? Yes. Women who experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences were nearly three times more likely to have severe premenstrual symptoms and more than five times as likely to have PMDD compared to those with fewer or no adverse experiences. Moderate study design 2,000 Japanese working women aged 20 to 44, who had never been pregnant and were not using contraception ## What they did Cross-sectional online survey of 2,000 Japanese working women aged 20 to 44 who had never been pregnant and were not using contraception. They answered questions about adverse childhood experiences (such as abuse, poverty, bullying, or natural disasters) and current menstrual symptoms. ## What they found Women with four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were significantly more likely to have severe premenstrual symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 2.81, 95% CI: 2.12-3.72) and severe menstrual symptoms (adjusted odds ratio 3.03, 95% CI: 2.29-4.02). Four or more ACEs were associated with PMDD (adjusted odds ratio 5.61, 95% CI: 2.65-11.89). Childhood poverty, school bullying, and natural disasters were also associated with symptoms. ## What it means for you Difficult childhood experiences may increase menstrual and premenstrual symptoms in adulthood. This suggests doctors should ask about trauma history when evaluating women with severe menstrual symptoms. The study was cross-sectional (cannot prove ACEs cause symptoms) and was only in Japan, so results may not apply to all populations. 2,000 women studied 2.81 times higher odds of severe premenstrual symptoms with 4+ ACEs 5.61 times higher odds of PMDD with 4+ ACEs ## About the study Original title Association between adverse childhood experiences and menstruation-related symptoms among Japanese female workers: A cross-sectional study Authors Kanamori Y, Sasaki N, Ito Y et al. Journal Child abuse & neglect Year 2025 Study design Survey study What was tested None (observational study examining adverse childhood experiences) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107251](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2025.107251) Original abstract Backgrounds: Menstruation-related symptoms are a common and serious health problem even without a specific diagnosis such as premenstrual dysphoric mood disorder (PMDD) or dysmenorrhea. Various adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) might be associated with menstruation-related symptoms, not only traditional traumatic events such as abuse, but also expanded ACEs such as childhood poverty, school bullying, or natural disasters. Objective: This study examined the association between expanded ACEs (ACEs for Japanese) and menstruation-related symptoms among Japanese working women. Methods: Data came from an online survey conducted in October 2023 that included women aged 20-44 working full-time, who have never been pregnant and are not currently using contraception. Menstruation-related symptoms severity was evaluated using the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) and the Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) scale. The MDQ score of the premenstrual and menstrual phases were classified into four categories as menstrual symptoms severity of each phase. Logistic regression assessed the association between ACEs and each outcome, adjusting for covariates. Results: The analysis included 2000 women. Premenstrual and menstrual symptoms severity increased with two or more ACEs. In the fully adjusted model, women with four or more ACEs significantly showed severe premenstrual symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.81, 95%CI:2.12-3.72), and severe menstrual symptoms (aOR = 3.03, 95%CI: 2.29-4.02). Four or more ACEs were associated with PMDD (aOR = 5.61, 95%CI: 2.65-11.89). Childhood poverty and school bullying were also associated with menstruation-related symptoms severity, and natural disasters with PMDD. Conclusions: Expanded ACEs were associated with menstruation-related symptoms. The results suggested the importance of trauma-informed care in gynecology, obstetrics, and occupational health practice. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk? Survey study, 2021 How common are menstrual problems in adolescent girls? Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Review, 2026 How much do PMS and menstrual disorders affect women's work, school, and quality of life? Survey study, 2024 What menstrual and mental health factors are linked to high-risk premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗