--- title: How common and severe is PMS in older women in rural India, and what causes it? description: Very common - 90% of women have PMS, with 62.2% having moderate to severe cases. Fatigue, physical symptoms, and trouble concentrating are most common. PMS of url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/prevalence-severity-and-functional-impairment-of-premenstrual-syndrome-among-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common and severe is PMS in older women in rural India, and what causes it? Survey study, 2025 # How common and severe is PMS in older women in rural India, and what causes it? Very common - 90% of women have PMS, with 62.2% having moderate to severe cases. Fatigue, physical symptoms, and trouble concentrating are most common. PMS often affects work and family relationships. Moderate study design 270 rural women aged 35-45 in Karnataka, India ## What they did Surveyed 270 women aged 35-45 at a rural health clinic about PMS, symptoms, how it affects their daily life, and possible risk factors. ## What they found 90.0% had PMS. 62.2% had moderate to severe PMS and 4.4% had severe PMS. Fatigue and physical symptoms were very common (98.4% and 95.9%). Difficulty concentrating affected 82.7%. PMS significantly affected work (84% with moderate PMS, 100% with severe PMS) and family relationships (82.7%). Regular periods, starting periods earlier in life, family history, low physical activity, and eating sweets frequently increased risk. Birth control pills reduced risk. ## What it means for you PMS in older women causes significant problems with work and relationships. Multiple factors contribute to PMS. The study was in one rural area of India, so results may differ in other regions or urban areas. 90.0% with PMS 62.2% moderate to severe PMS 98.4% with fatigue ## About the study Original title Prevalence, Severity, and Functional Impairment of Premenstrual Syndrome Among Late Reproductive-Age Women in Rural Karnataka: A Cross-Sectional Study Authors Shivani Manjrekar, Sandeep Patil Journal National Journal of Community Medicine Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 270 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.55489/njcm.161220255868](https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.161220255868) Original abstract Background: Evidence on the burden of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among late reproductive-age rural women in India is limited. To estimate PMS prevalence and severity, describe symptom and functional-impairment patterns, and examine associated predictors. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 35-45 years attending the outpatient department of a rural health training centre from January to June 2022 (n=270). The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) was forward-back-translated into Kannada and administered with demographic, menstrual, and behavioural variables. Results: PMS was reported by 90.0%; 62.2% had moderate-severe PMS (95% CI 56.3-67.8), 4.4% had severe PMS, and 27.8% had mild/sub-threshold PMS. Fatigue/lack of energy (98.4%), physical symptoms (95.9%), and difficulty concentrating (82.7%) were the most common symptoms. Functional impairment most often affected college/work productivity (84.0% moderate; 100.0% severe) and relationships with family (82.7% moderate). Significant predictors included regular cycles, earlier menarche, family history, lower physical activity, frequent sweet intake, and oral-contraceptive use (protective) (p<0.05). Conclusion: PMS burden and functional impairment are substantial. Routine screening and primary-care counselling are warranted along with the primordial need for increased awareness. Reproduced under CC-BY-SA. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Psychotherapy, counselling and education](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-psychotherapy/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) 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 Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Do digital tools and apps help reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms? Study, 2026 What coping strategies help women manage PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 What factors are linked with period pain in teenage girls in Ethiopia? Survey study, 2025 Is PMS worse in girls living through violence and insecurity? Cohort study, 2020 How common are PMS and painful periods in female medical students, and do they affect school attendance? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗