Systematic review, 2024
Does psychological stress cause irregular periods?
Yes. A review of 41 studies found that psychological stress is associated with irregular periods and abnormal menstrual flow in otherwise healthy women. Stress is a modifiable risk factor, meaning reducing stress may help.
What they did
Systematic review of 41 studies on psychological stress and menstrual irregularity in healthy adults. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and assessed quality. Stressors included COVID-19 pandemic stress, academic stress, and occupational stress.
What they found
Most studies reported an association between psychological stress and menstrual dysfunction. The most common disruptions were irregular menstruation and abnormal menstrual flow. However, studies used different definitions of menstrual disorders, making comparison difficult.
What it means for you
Stress affects menstrual regularity. Because stress is modifiable, managing stress is a potential way to improve menstrual health. The lack of consistent definitions across studies is a limitation.
41
studies included
3
types of stressors examined
About the study
- Original title
- Bloody stressed! A systematic review of the associations between adulthood psychological stress and menstrual cycle irregularity
- Authors
- Poitras M, Shearzad F, Qureshi AF et al.
- Journal
- Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- Psychological stress exposure (COVID-19, academic stress, occupational stress)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105784