Survey study, 2017
Does crying change during the menstrual cycle?
Women feel more like crying during the premenstrual phase but do not actually cry more. The differences in feeling like crying were small but statistically significant.
What they did
A community sample of 76 Canadian women aged 18-43 recorded daily for six months how prone they felt to crying and how often they actually cried, along with tracking their menstrual cycle phase.
What they found
Crying proneness was highest during the premenstrual phase, slightly lower during menses, and lowest during mid-cycle, with statistically significant but small differences. Actual crying frequency did not differ between the three menstrual cycle phases. Oral contraceptive use did not affect these relationships.
What it means for you
Women may feel more emotional before their period but may not cry more. Individual patterns varied widely between women. The study did not confirm ovulation timing and used only three broad cycle phases.
76
Canadian women
6
months of daily tracking
3
menstrual cycle phases
About the study
- Original title
- Crying, oral contraceptive use and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Romans SE, Clarkson RF, Einstein G et al.
- Journal
- Journal of affective disorders
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 76
- What was tested
- None; observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.044
Topics
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