--- title: Does exam stress make PMS worse? | Niyora description: Yes, exam stress was strongly linked to worse PMS symptoms in medical students (p = 0.004). Students with moderate to high stress had much worse PMS. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/impact-of-examination-stress-on-premenstrual-syndrome-among-female-medical-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does exam stress make PMS worse? Survey study, 2024 # Does exam stress make PMS worse? Yes, exam stress was strongly linked to worse PMS symptoms in medical students (p = 0.004). Students with moderate to high stress had much worse PMS. Early or limited evidence 177 female medical students in Pakistan, studied before exams ## What they did Before exams, 177 female medical students completed two questionnaires measuring exam stress and premenstrual symptoms. Researchers compared stress levels to symptom severity. ## What they found Of 177 women, 53 had mild stress, 115 had moderate stress, and 5 had high stress. For PMS, 2 had no symptoms, 34 mild, 63 moderate, 57 severe, and 17 very severe. The link between stress and PMS severity was statistically significant (p = 0.004). ## What it means for you Pre-exam stress appears linked to worse PMS in medical students. However, a one-time measurement cannot prove stress causes PMS to worsen. Larger and longer studies are needed. 177 female medical students 115 with moderate stress 57 with severe PMS symptoms ## About the study Original title Impact of Examination Stress on Premenstrual Syndrome among Female Medical Students Authors Syed Sohaib Bukhari, Sher Afgan Ali Khan Burki, Rana Sajawal Joiya et al. Journal Annals of King Edward Medical University Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 177 What was tested exam stress Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v29ispl3.5576](https://doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v29ispl3.5576) Original abstract Background: Stress is an unwelcome yet necessary aspect of all our lives which dictate our quality of life. This emotion is particularly unwelcome in the period of exams which is why this research was conducted, and for females specifically. Premenstrual Syndrome is a collection of symptoms occurring one week to ten days prior to a menstrual cycle involving but not limited to, fatigue, abdominal cramps, and restlessness. These symptoms can lead to disruption in their lives and a negative effect on the academic performance of female medical students. Objective: To determine the effect of examination stress on Premenstrual Syndrome in Pakistani medical students and to see if there is any correlation present. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted between March and September of 2022 in CMH Lahore where 177 females were enrolled, prior to their exams with an exclusion criterion of females on antiepileptic medication, antipsychotics or birth control. Non-probability convenient sampling was used. Two pre-tested questionnaires were used to measure stress and Premenstrual Syndrome simultaneously, the Student Stress Inventory (SSI) and Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), consensually and anonymously. Chi-squared test was utilized with a P-value less than 0.05 was taken as significant. Results: Out of 177 female students, for SSI, 53 had mild stress, 115 had moderate stress while 5 had high stress. As for PMSS, 2 students had no symptoms, 34 had mild symptoms, 63 had moderate symptoms, 57 had severe symptoms and 17 had very severe symptoms. We found a statistically significant link between pre-modular stress and its detrimental effects on premenstrual syndrome. Both the PMSS and the SSI had a p value of 0.004, which established a noteworthy association. Conclusion: A strong link was found between pre-examinational stress and menstrual irregularities in this research. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)[Epilepsy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-epilepsy/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Review, 2003 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD? Survey study, 2026 Is PMS worse in medical students with higher stress? 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