---
title: Do women with bipolar disorder experience mood changes across their menstrual cycle?
description: Yes. Most women with bipolar disorder taking medication reported significant mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle, and most also had unusually long me
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-related-mood-changes-in-women-with-bipolar-disorder-2003/
---

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- Do women with bipolar disorder experience mood changes across their menstrual cycle?

Cohort study, 2003

# Do women with bipolar disorder experience mood changes across their menstrual cycle?

Yes. Most women with bipolar disorder taking medication reported significant mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle, and most also had unusually long menstrual cycles. However, the study was very small.

 Early or limited evidence

17 women with bipolar disorder on medication, 35% also taking oral contraceptives

## What they did

A 3-month study with 17 women with bipolar disorder who were taking medication. Women entered their mood, menstrual data, and medications daily into a computer program.

## What they found

65% of women reported significant mood changes across the menstrual cycle. 59% had long menstrual cycles, including those taking oral contraceptives.

## What it means for you

Women with bipolar disorder may experience menstrual cycle-linked mood changes even when medicated. The very small sample and lack of a comparison group mean we cannot be sure how common this is in all women with bipolar disorder.

65%

Reported significant mood changes across menstrual cycle

59%

Had long menstrual cycles

17

Total number of women

## About the study

Original title Menstrual cycle related mood changes in women with bipolar disorder Authors Rasgon N, Bauer M, Glenn T et al. Journal Bipolar disorders Year 2003 Study design Cohort study Participants 17 What was tested None (observational study) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-5618.2003.00010.x](https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-5618.2003.00010.x)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Borderline personality disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bpd/)

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Case report, 2025

Can birth control medication help menstrual cycle-related psychosis?

Study, 2024

Can PMDD cause psychosis that returns with each menstrual cycle?

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