--- title: Does stopping menstruation with a GnRH agonist reduce PMS symptoms? description: In women with PMS alone, yes. Six of seven had significant symptom reduction including near-complete relief of premenstrual depression. In women with PMS and url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/gonadotropin-releasing-hormone-agonist-in-treatment-of-premenstrual-symptoms-1993/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does stopping menstruation with a GnRH agonist reduce PMS symptoms? Non-randomised trial, 1993 # Does stopping menstruation with a GnRH agonist reduce PMS symptoms? In women with PMS alone, yes. Six of seven had significant symptom reduction including near-complete relief of premenstrual depression. In women with PMS and depression, the treatment did not help. Early or limited evidence 7 women with PMS and 2 women with PMS and major depression ## What they did An open-label pilot trial. Women with PMS with or without depression received 3.75 mg of depot leuprolide injected once monthly. They tracked symptoms daily compared to their untreated baseline. ## What they found Six of 7 women with PMS only had their periods stop and experienced significant symptom reduction (p < .0001), especially relief of swelling and breast tenderness. Their premenstrual depression scores fell almost completely. The 2 women with both PMS and depression saw little improvement in PMS symptoms and no improvement in depression. ## What it means for you Stopping menstruation can relieve PMS symptoms in some women, though not those with coexisting depression. This is a very small open trial without a control group, so the results may not apply to everyone. 6 of 7 PMS subjects with symptom reduction 3.75 mg Monthly leuprolide dose p < .0001 Significance of symptom reduction ## About the study Original title Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in treatment of premenstrual symptoms with and without comorbidity of depression: a pilot study Authors Freeman EW, Sondheimer SJ, Rickels K et al. Journal The Journal of clinical psychiatry Year 1993 Study design Non-randomised trial What was tested Leuprolide 3.75 mg depot injection monthly Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8509350/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8509350/) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/) 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. ## Related studies Study, 2022 What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Study, 2026 What treatments work for PMDD? Cohort study, 2022 What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? Review, 2012 Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause? Study, 2003 Does the stress response system work differently in women with PMS across the menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗