---
title: Can doctors correctly diagnose PMDD and depression in gynecology clinics?
description: Gynecologists diagnosed PMDD correctly 80% of the time but depression only 48% of the time. Ironically, they were more confident about their depression diagno
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/obstetrician-gynecologists-decision-making-about-the-diagnosis-of-major-2005/
---

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- Can doctors correctly diagnose PMDD and depression in gynecology clinics?

Interview study, 2005

# Can doctors correctly diagnose PMDD and depression in gynecology clinics?

Gynecologists diagnosed PMDD correctly 80% of the time but depression only 48% of the time. Ironically, they were more confident about their depression diagnoses despite being less accurate.

 Early or limited evidence

335 obstetrician-gynecologists responding to a mailed questionnaire

## What they did

335 obstetrician-gynecologists received questionnaires with clinical scenarios and were asked to diagnose whether each case showed depression or PMDD. Doctors were randomly assigned to receive either depression or PMDD versions.

## What they found

Gynecologists correctly diagnosed PMDD 80% of the time and depression 48% of the time. However, doctors reported significantly more confidence in their depression diagnoses despite lower accuracy. Doctors using valid diagnostic reasoning strategies were more common in PMDD cases than depression cases.

## What it means for you

Gynecologists struggle more with depression than PMDD. Their overconfidence in depression diagnoses is concerning because it may cause cases to be missed, contributing to depression being underdiagnosed in these clinics.

335

gynecologists surveyed

80%

accuracy diagnosing PMDD

48%

accuracy diagnosing depression

## About the study

Original title Obstetrician-gynecologists' decision making about the diagnosis of major depressive disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Hill LD, Gray JJ, Carter MM et al. Journal Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology Year 2005 Study design Interview study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/01443610400023023](https://doi.org/10.1080/01443610400023023)

## 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/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

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Non-randomised trial, 2008

Do mood, memory, and food cravings worsen during the luteal phase in women with PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2006

Do women with PMDD and depression process progesterone differently than others?

Survey study, 2023

Do women with PMDD have problems with attention and impulse control during the luteal phase?

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