Systematic review, 2026
Are hormone levels different in women with PMS?
Women with PMS have higher estrogen levels during the luteal phase (p=0.014), but progesterone levels are not consistently different. Studies used different methods and small samples.
What they did
Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines. Searched Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Lissa from December 2024 to March 2025. Included 27 observational studies from 13 countries with 1,959 women. Two reviewers independently selected and extracted data. Assessed risk of bias using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Used random-effects meta-analysis.
What they found
Fifteen studies reported lower progesterone in PMS, but meta-analysis showed no significant difference in luteal progesterone (standardized mean difference -1.07, 95% CI -2.51 to 0.38, p=0.14). Seven studies noted higher luteal estrogen levels, and meta-analysis confirmed significantly higher estrogen in PMS (standardized mean difference 0.42, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.75, p=0.014).
What it means for you
Higher estrogen in the luteal phase may play a role in PMS, but progesterone findings were inconsistent. Studies used different hormone measurement methods and mostly small populations, so more research is needed to understand the full hormonal picture in PMS.
27
studies included
1,959
women analyzed
0.014
p-value for estrogen finding
About the study
- Original title
- Association between estrogen and progesterone levels and premenstrual syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Authors
- Emma Preveraud, Eloise Poisson, Stéphanie Mignot
- Journal
- BMC Women s Health
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Systematic review
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04855-8
Topics
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