--- title: How common is PMS and how severe is it in young college women? description: More than half of college women (53%) met PMS diagnostic criteria, with 31.7% having severe symptoms. About 18% met criteria for PMDD, the most severe form. T url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-frequency-and-severity-in-young-college-girls-2005/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common is PMS and how severe is it in young college women? Cohort study, 2005 # How common is PMS and how severe is it in young college women? More than half of college women (53%) met PMS diagnostic criteria, with 31.7% having severe symptoms. About 18% met criteria for PMDD, the most severe form. This is a high prevalence, though the study used convenience sampling in one country. Early or limited evidence 384 college-aged girls in Pakistan at a medical college ## What they did An observational study of 384 college-aged girls in Pakistan who completed a 29-item symptom questionnaire based on standard scales covering two menstrual cycles. Symptoms were assessed against two diagnostic criteria (ICD-10 and DSM-IV). ## What they found By ICD-10 criteria, 53% had PMS: 42% mild, 18.2% moderate, and 31.7% severe. By DSM-IV criteria, 64 girls (18.2%) met criteria for severe PMS or PMDD. Most common symptoms in PMS were body discomfort, anxiety, backache, fatigue, and depression. ## What it means for you PMS is very common in college women, with more than half experiencing it and a significant portion having severe symptoms. However, the study used non-random sampling and was limited to one country, so results may differ elsewhere. Follow-up was only two cycles. 384 girls studied 53% with PMS diagnosis 18.2% meeting PMDD criteria ## About the study Original title Premenstrual syndrome: frequency and severity in young college girls Authors Tabassum S, Afridi B, Aman Z et al. Journal JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Year 2005 Study design Cohort study Participants 64 What was tested None; symptom questionnaire Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16438276/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16438276/) ## 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/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2025 Is the PSST a good screening tool for PMS in Bangladesh? Survey study, 2024 How common are PMS and PMDD in young Turkish women and what factors are linked to them? Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS, PMDD, anxiety, and depression in rural adolescent girls? Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD in high school girls, and what factors increase risk? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗