---
title: Do menstrual and premenstrual symptoms differ between women from different ethnic groups?
description: Yes. 69% reported premenstrual symptoms and 50.8% reported menstrual symptoms. The type of symptoms varied by ethnic group, with some women mainly reporting p
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-related-complaints-a-cross-cultural-study-1988/
---

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- Do menstrual and premenstrual symptoms differ between women from different ethnic groups?

Study, 1988

# Do menstrual and premenstrual symptoms differ between women from different ethnic groups?

Yes. 69% reported premenstrual symptoms and 50.8% reported menstrual symptoms. The type of symptoms varied by ethnic group, with some women mainly reporting physical symptoms and others mainly psychological or behavioral symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

152 women from different ethnic groups in Australia

## What they did

152 women from different ethnic groups in Australia were asked about their symptoms during the menstrual cycle.

## What they found

69% reported premenstrual symptoms and 50.8% reported menstrual symptoms. Physical complaints ranged from 37% to 73% between ethnic groups. Turkish, Greek and Vietnamese women mainly reported physical symptoms, while 60% of Australian women and 53% of Italian women reported psychological or behavioral symptoms.

## What it means for you

How women experience menstrual and premenstrual symptoms depends on their cultural or ethnic background. The study only included women in Australia, so findings may not apply to other populations.

152

women studied

69%

reported premenstrual symptoms

50.8%

reported menstrual symptoms

## About the study

Original title Menstrual cycle related complaints: A cross-cultural study Authors Miriam Hasin, Lorraine Dennerstein, Gordon H. Gotts Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1988 Study design Study What was tested none Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674828809030947](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674828809030947)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[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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