--- title: What medical conditions and lifestyle factors affect menstrual cycle patterns? description: Several factors are linked to abnormal cycle patterns. Higher body weight, depression, starting periods after age 14, smoking, and a history of difficulty get url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/influence-of-medical-conditions-and-lifestyle-factors-on-the-menstrual-cycle-2002/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What medical conditions and lifestyle factors affect menstrual cycle patterns? Survey study, 2002 # What medical conditions and lifestyle factors affect menstrual cycle patterns? Several factors are linked to abnormal cycle patterns. Higher body weight, depression, starting periods after age 14, smoking, and a history of difficulty getting pregnant are all associated with changes in cycle length. Early or limited evidence 3941 premenopausal women aged 21 to 40 not taking birth control pills from Iowa and North Carolina. ## What they did Researchers studied 3941 women aged 21 to 40 who were not taking birth control pills. The women reported information about their health conditions, lifestyle habits, and menstrual cycle patterns. Data were collected between 1994 and 1996. ## What they found Women with very high body mass index (35 or higher) were much more likely to have long cycles compared to women with normal body mass index (22-23). Women who started their periods after age 14 were more likely to have long or irregular cycles. Depression was associated with long and irregular cycles. Smoking was linked to short cycles. Women with a history of difficulty getting pregnant were more likely to have long cycles, irregular cycles, or bleeding between periods. Women with long cycles were much more likely to have had a miscarriage. ## What it means for you Weight, depression, age when periods start, smoking, and infertility history are linked to cycle pattern changes. The main limitation is that this is a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time), so we cannot determine if these factors cause the cycle changes or the reverse. Results also apply only to women in Iowa and North Carolina. 5.4 times higher likelihood of long cycles with BMI 35+ versus BMI 22-23 2.3 times higher likelihood of miscarriage with long cycles 3941 women in study from Iowa and North Carolina ## About the study Original title Influence of medical conditions and lifestyle factors on the menstrual cycle Authors Rowland AS, Baird DD, Long S et al. Journal Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.) Year 2002 Study design Survey study Participants 3,941 What was tested None - observational study. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1097/00001648-200211000-00011](https://doi.org/10.1097/00001648-200211000-00011) ## Topics [Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)[Thyroid disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-thyroid/) 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 Survey study, 2011 Is premenstrual syndrome related to major depression? Cohort study, 2005 Is PMDD a strong risk factor for postpartum depression? Survey study, 1993 Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods? Randomised trial, 2020 How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? Survey study, 2013 What causes depression during pregnancy, and does PMS increase the risk? Case-control study, 2006 Can disrupted sleep and body rhythms explain mood problems around periods, pregnancy, or after birth? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗