---
title: Is there a link between PMS/PMDD symptoms and trauma from natural disasters?
description: Yes, nine months after a major earthquake, girls with PTSD showed significantly higher rates and severity of PMS and PMDD symptoms. Symptom severity increased
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-and-posttraumatic-stress-disorder-in-japanese-high-school-2013/
---

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- Is there a link between PMS/PMDD symptoms and trauma from natural disasters?

Survey study, 2013

# Is there a link between PMS/PMDD symptoms and trauma from natural disasters?

Yes, nine months after a major earthquake, girls with PTSD showed significantly higher rates and severity of PMS and PMDD symptoms. Symptom severity increased with PTSD severity.

 Early or limited evidence

1,180 high school girls in Sendai, Japan, assessed 9 months after earthquake

## What they did

Researchers studied 1,180 high school girls in Sendai, Japan, nine months after the Great East-Japan Earthquake in March 2011. The schools were located inland and were not damaged by the tsunami. Girls completed questionnaires measuring premenstrual symptoms and PTSD symptoms. Of the girls, 118 (10%) were classified as having PTSD.

## What they found

The prevalence rates of PMDD and moderate-to-severe PMS increased according to the presence and severity of PTSD (p less than 0.001). Girls with PTSD showed a clear correlation between the severity of PMS/PMDD and natural disaster-induced PTSD.

## What it means for you

Trauma can be associated with worsening PMS/PMDD symptoms. Women experiencing both PTSD and PMS/PMDD may need coordinated treatment for both conditions. The study was cross-sectional and specific to one earthquake in Japan, so causation is unclear.

1,180

girls studied

118

had PTSD (10%)

p<0.001

correlation between PTSD and PMS/PMDD severity

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder in Japanese high school students 9 months after the great East-Japan earthquake Authors Takeda T, Tadakawa M, Koga S et al. Journal The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine Year 2013 Study design Survey study Participants 1,489 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1620/tjem.230.151](https://doi.org/10.1620/tjem.230.151)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[PTSD and trauma](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ptsd-trauma/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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