---
title: How common are PMS and PMDD, and how much do they affect women's lives?
description: PMS symptoms are very common in women during reproductive years. PMDD affects 3-8% of women and causes significant reductions in quality of life and daily act
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/epidemiology-of-premenstrual-symptoms-and-disorders-2012/
---

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- How common are PMS and PMDD, and how much do they affect women's lives?

Survey study, 2012

# How common are PMS and PMDD, and how much do they affect women's lives?

PMS symptoms are very common in women during reproductive years. PMDD affects 3-8% of women and causes significant reductions in quality of life and daily activities.

 Moderate study design

Women of reproductive age (from multiple reviewed studies)

## What they did

This is a review of published research on the prevalence of different premenstrual disorders and symptoms, and their impact on women's daily activities and quality of life.

## What they found

The most severe disorder, PMDD, affects 3-8% of women of reproductive age. While PMDD focuses on psychological symptoms, the most prevalent premenstrual symptoms overall are physical. Both physical and psychological symptoms affect women's daily activities. Moderate to severe premenstrual disorders cause considerable burden of illness.

## What it means for you

PMS is a frequent concern for women during reproductive years, especially when moderate to severe. Moderate to severe symptoms significantly impact work and daily activities. The main limitation is that prevalence numbers vary widely depending on how PMS and PMDD are defined in different studies.

3-8%

PMDD prevalence in women of reproductive age

## About the study

Original title Epidemiology of premenstrual symptoms and disorders Authors Dennerstein L, Lehert P, Heinemann K Journal Menopause international Year 2012 Study design Survey study What was tested None; literature review Read the paper [doi.org/10.1258/mi.2012.012013](https://doi.org/10.1258/mi.2012.012013)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)

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## Related studies

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Study, 2026

What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

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How do social factors like stigma and unequal care responsibilities affect premenstrual symptoms?

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