---
title: What are the symptoms of PMDD and how many women have it? | Niyora
description: PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. About 90% of women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 4.6% to 6.4% meet criteria for PMDD, and about 5
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/introduction-of-the-research-2015/
---

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- What are the symptoms of PMDD and how many women have it?

Interview study, 2015

# What are the symptoms of PMDD and how many women have it?

PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. About 90% of women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 4.6% to 6.4% meet criteria for PMDD, and about 5% experience severe symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

Review of published research on women of childbearing age

## What they did

This is a literature review of published research on premenstrual symptoms and PMDD. The authors reviewed existing studies to understand what is known about these conditions and identify research gaps, particularly in Sudan.

## What they found

About 90% of women experience premenstrual symptoms. Between 4.6% and 6.4% meet diagnostic criteria for PMDD. About 5% report severe symptoms that interfere with daily life. About 20% have severe PMS. Symptoms include mood changes, anxiety, irritability, loss of energy, sleep changes, breast tenderness, and bloating in the week before menstruation.

## What it means for you

Most women notice premenstrual changes, but only a small percentage experience the most severe form (PMDD). Most research on PMDD has been conducted in Western countries, so less is known about how common it is in other regions. This is a literature review rather than a new study.

90%

experience premenstrual symptoms

4.6%-6.4%

meet PMDD criteria

5%

experience severe symptoms

## About the study

Original title Introduction of the Research Authors Nada Elbashir Journal Journal of Psychology & Clinical Psychiatry Year 2015 Study design Interview study Participants 8 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.15406/jpcpy.2015.02.00086](https://doi.org/10.15406/jpcpy.2015.02.00086)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)

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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