---
title: Do work conditions make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse?
description: Yes. Physical work demands and job stress were the biggest work-related factors that made symptoms worse. Chronic illness and alcohol use also made symptoms w
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/perimenstrual-complaints-is-this-a-problem-to-be-handled-by-occupational-2003/
---

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- Do work conditions make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse?

Survey study, 2003

# Do work conditions make premenstrual and menstrual symptoms worse?

Yes. Physical work demands and job stress were the biggest work-related factors that made symptoms worse. Chronic illness and alcohol use also made symptoms worse.

 Early or limited evidence

142 women aged 21-45 working in cosmetics (27%), banking (27%), or healthcare (50%)

## What they did

142 women aged 21-45 completed a survey about their premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, work conditions, and home responsibilities. They worked in a cosmetics factory, bank, or hospital.

## What they found

About 80% of women experienced premenstrual symptoms and 75% had menstrual symptoms. About 40% had symptoms that were strongly intensified. Physical workload and job stress were the main occupational risk factors.

## What it means for you

Heavy physical work and high job stress are linked to worse menstrual and premenstrual symptoms. The main limits are that women reported their own symptoms rather than being medically tested, and the study only looked at certain job types.

142

women surveyed

80%

with premenstrual symptoms

75%

with menstrual symptoms

## About the study

Original title [Perimenstrual complaints--is this a problem to be handled by occupational medicine physicians] Authors Makowiec-Dabrowska T, Sprusińska E, Hanke W et al. Journal Medycyna pracy Year 2003 Study design Survey study Participants 142 Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15054993/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15054993/)

## Topics

[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)

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