---
title: Is PMS a psychiatric disorder or a gynecological disorder? | Niyora
description: PMS is a gynecological disorder tied to ovulation and the corpus luteum, since symptoms stop when ovulation stops. Women with 'pure PMS' have less psychiatric
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-psychiatric-or-gynaecological-disorder-1991/
---

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- Is PMS a psychiatric disorder or a gynecological disorder?

Survey study, 1991

# Is PMS a psychiatric disorder or a gynecological disorder?

PMS is a gynecological disorder tied to ovulation and the corpus luteum, since symptoms stop when ovulation stops. Women with 'pure PMS' have less psychiatric history than other groups.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with menstrual cycle-related symptoms seeking medical and psychological evaluation.

## What they did

Researchers classified women into three groups: Pure PMS (symptoms only before menstruation), Premenstrual aggravation (symptoms worse before menstruation), and Non-PMS (no cycle-related symptoms). They compared psychiatric history and personality traits between groups and observed what happened in women who did not ovulate and in postmenopausal women on hormone therapy.

## What they found

The 'Pure PMS' group had significantly less neurosis and lower psychiatric history. In women with anovulatory cycles (no ovulation), the cyclical symptom pattern disappeared. GnRH-agonists, which stop ovulation, stopped the cyclical symptoms. Postmenopausal women on estradiol/progestagen therapy developed PMS-like symptoms when progestagen was added.

## What it means for you

The corpus luteum and ovulation are central to PMS symptoms, suggesting it is fundamentally a gynecological condition. Psychological factors influence how much symptoms bother women. The study was cross-sectional and observational, so it cannot prove cause and effect.

3

subgroups identified

Anovul cycles

stopped cyclical symptoms

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome--psychiatric or gynaecological disorder? Authors Bäckström T, Hammarbäck S Journal Annals of medicine Year 1991 Study design Survey study What was tested Classification into subgroups and observation of natural cycles and treatment responses. Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/07853899109148094](https://doi.org/10.3109/07853899109148094)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Borderline personality disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bpd/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

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## Related studies

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Review, 2018

What are the most effective treatments for premenstrual syndrome and PMDD?

Review, 2002

What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD?

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