---
title: How common is PMS in Pakistani university students and what are the main symptoms?
description: PMS is common, affecting 60% of the 520 students studied. The most frequent symptoms were fatigue (86.84%), irritability (71.05%), and breast tenderness (67.6
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-symptoms-pms-and-prevalence-among-university-students-in-2016/
---

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- How common is PMS in Pakistani university students and what are the main symptoms?

Survey study, 2016

# How common is PMS in Pakistani university students and what are the main symptoms?

PMS is common, affecting 60% of the 520 students studied. The most frequent symptoms were fatigue (86.84%), irritability (71.05%), and breast tenderness (67.65%).

 Early or limited evidence

520 university students (average age 20 years) in Karachi, Pakistan

## What they did

Cross-sectional study of 520 university students in Karachi with average age 20 years. Researchers collected information about PMS and menstrual cycles from calendar records and symptom charts tracked over 3 consecutive cycles.

## What they found

60% of students had PMS symptoms. Among the 312 students with PMS: fatigue affected 86.84%, irritability 71.05%, breast tenderness 67.65%, appetite changes ranging from 42.65% to 51.47%, abdominal bloating 47.06%, and depression 13.24%. In the 19-24 age group specifically, irritability reached 92% and breast tenderness 82% (p<0.001).

## What it means for you

PMS is very common in this student population. The symptom pattern differs from typical Western populations, possibly due to cultural differences. Since this is an observational study, it shows what symptoms occur together but cannot prove what causes them.

60%

had PMS symptoms

86.84%

experienced fatigue

312

students with PMS

## About the study

Original title PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME SYMPTOMS (PMS) AND PREVALENCE AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN Authors Sitwat Zehra, Abid Azhar, Afsheen Arif et al. Journal International Research Journal of Pharmacy Year 2016 Study design Survey study Participants 520 What was tested None; observational study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.7897/2230-8407.04420](https://doi.org/10.7897/2230-8407.04420)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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.

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