---
title: Does age at menarche affect how much premenstrual symptoms women have?
description: Women who started their period before age 11 reported more symptoms and syndrome, but the difference was not strong enough to be certain it wasn't just chance
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-and-syndrome-according-to-age-at-menarche-in-a-1982-birth-2008/
---

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- Does age at menarche affect how much premenstrual symptoms women have?

Cohort study, 2008

# Does age at menarche affect how much premenstrual symptoms women have?

Women who started their period before age 11 reported more symptoms and syndrome, but the difference was not strong enough to be certain it wasn't just chance.

 Moderate study design

Young women born in 1982 in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, interviewed in their early 20s

## What they did

Researchers looked at women born in 1982 in Brazil who were interviewed in 2004-2005. They asked about four symptoms: irritability, anxiety or stress, depressed mood, and emotional ups and downs. They investigated whether the age they started their period was linked to these symptoms.

## What they found

Irritability was the most common symptom (52.3%), followed by anxiety (40.2%). Moderate premenstrual syndrome affected 13.4%, and severe PMS affected 5.8%. The average age at menarche was 12.4 years. Women whose menarche was before age 11 had higher rates of symptoms and syndrome, but this difference was not statistically significant.

## What it means for you

This study suggests a possible link between starting your period very young and having more premenstrual symptoms, but the evidence was not strong enough to be certain. Information on this relationship is scarce in other research.

52.3%

Irritability prevalence

40.2%

Anxiety prevalence

12.4 years

Mean age at menarche

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual symptoms and syndrome according to age at menarche in a 1982 birth cohort in southern Brazil Authors Silva CM, Gigante DP, Minten GC Journal Cadernos de saude publica Year 2008 Study design Cohort study What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1590/s0102-311x2008000400014](https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-311x2008000400014)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/)

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