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.
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
Topics
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