---
title: Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods?
description: Yes, clearly. Women with high distress at menopause were much more likely to report past depression, needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth con
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/psychologic-distress-during-menopause-associations-across-the-reproductive-life-1993/
---

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- Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods?

Survey study, 1993

# Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods?

Yes, clearly. Women with high distress at menopause were much more likely to report past depression, needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth control, PMS symptoms, baby blues, and postpartum depression.

 Moderate study design

86 women at a menopause clinic, 44 with high distress and 42 with low

## What they did

Women attending a menopause clinic completed a questionnaire measuring psychological distress. Forty-four women with high distress and 42 women with low distress were compared on their reports of past psychiatric diagnoses, depression treatment, and mood problems linked to birth control, PMS, pregnancy, baby blues, and postpartum depression.

## What they found

Women with high menopause distress were significantly more likely to have reported past psychiatric diagnosis (usually depression), needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth control, PMS symptoms, baby blues after birth, and postpartum depression.

## What it means for you

Women who have mood problems at one reproductive stage are more vulnerable to them at other stages. This suggests mood vulnerability may persist across the reproductive years. Doctors should ask women about past depression and mood problems connected to birth control, periods, pregnancy and the postpartum period.

44

Women with high distress

42

Women with low distress

6

Health conditions measured

## About the study

Original title Psychologic distress during menopause: associations across the reproductive life cycle Authors Stewart DE, Boydell KM Journal International journal of psychiatry in medicine Year 1993 Study design Survey study What was tested None - this was observational Read the paper [doi.org/10.2190/026v-69m0-c0ff-7v7y](https://doi.org/10.2190/026v-69m0-c0ff-7v7y)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)

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

Randomised trial, 2001

Do changing reproductive hormones disrupt the body's internal clock and cause mood disorders?

Review, 1992

Is PMS really caused by hormones?

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Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause?

Cohort study, 2007

Do women with depression or bipolar disorder experience premenstrual mood symptoms?

Survey study, 2006

Does the menstrual cycle affect how severe OCD symptoms are?

Survey study, 2005

Does the menstrual cycle affect obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms?

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