---
title: What factors are linked to women saying they have PMS? | Niyora
description: In a survey of 5457 women, 61% reported PMS. Women were more likely to report PMS if they had longer menstrual cycles or higher stress.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/factors-related-to-self-reporting-of-the-pre-menstrual-syndrome-1990/
---

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- What factors are linked to women saying they have PMS?

Survey study, 1990

# What factors are linked to women saying they have PMS?

In a survey of 5457 women, 61% reported PMS. Women were more likely to report PMS if they had longer menstrual cycles or higher stress.

 Early or limited evidence

5457 women readers of a women's magazine

## What they did

5457 women who read a women's magazine completed a menstrual health questionnaire reporting symptoms, number of children, contraceptive use, cycle length, and stress.

## What they found

61% reported having PMS, which matched their reported symptoms. Mood symptoms were more strongly linked to PMS than physical symptoms. PMS self-report was modestly associated with parity and oral contraceptive use, but strongly and positively related to duration of natural menstrual cycles and to psychosocial stress. There were interactions among psychosocial factors.

## What it means for you

Women who report PMS tend to have longer cycles and more life stress. This is a survey of magazine readers, so results may not apply to all women. Being a survey not an experiment, we cannot say stress causes PMS.

61%

reported having PMS

5457

women surveyed

## About the study

Original title Factors related to self-reporting of the pre-menstrual syndrome Authors Warner P, Bancroft J Journal The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science Year 1990 Study design Survey study Participants 5,457 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1192/bjp.157.2.249](https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.157.2.249)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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.

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