---
title: Does having PMS before pregnancy predict postpartum depression?
description: Yes. Women with a history of PMS or PMDD were at higher risk for depression after childbirth, especially if they had previous depression.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/longitudinal-assessment-of-symptoms-of-postpartum-mood-disorder-in-women-with-2020/
---

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- Does having PMS before pregnancy predict postpartum depression?

Cohort study, 2020

# Does having PMS before pregnancy predict postpartum depression?

Yes. Women with a history of PMS or PMDD were at higher risk for depression after childbirth, especially if they had previous depression.

 Moderate study design

687 healthy women, including 192 with a depression history and 495 without

## What they did

A cohort study of 687 women (192 with a depression history, 495 without). Depression was measured during late pregnancy, 1 to 2 weeks after birth, and 4 to 6 weeks after birth using a standard depression scale. Women reported their history of PMS or PMDD.

## What they found

Women with a depression history were twice as likely to develop peripartum depression as women without this history. A history of PMS or PMDD before pregnancy was associated with higher odds of peripartum depression. Peripartum depression was most common in women with both a depression history and PMS or PMDD.

## What it means for you

If you had PMS or PMDD before pregnancy, you have higher risk of postpartum depression and should be screened during pregnancy. The main limitation is that PMS was based on what women remembered rather than measured when it actually occurred.

687

women studied

192

with depression history

2

times higher risk with depression history

## About the study

Original title Longitudinal assessment of symptoms of postpartum mood disorder in women with and without a history of depression Authors Pataky EA, Ehlert U Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2020 Study design Cohort study Participants 495 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-00990-4](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-00990-4)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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