Cohort study, 2004
What risk factors cause PMDD to develop?
Traumatic events, anxiety disorders, and high daily stress significantly increase the risk of developing PMDD. Women who already had subthreshold PMDD at the start were at highest risk.
What they did
Researchers followed 1488 young women aged 14-24 for about 42 months starting in 1995. They used diagnostic interviews to check for PMDD and PTSD, and tracked stressful life events and daily hassles.
What they found
3.0% of women developed PMDD over the study period. Traumatic events increased the odds of developing PMDD 4.2 times. A history of anxiety disorder increased odds 2.5 times. High daily hassles increased odds 1.6 times. Having subthreshold PMDD at baseline was the strongest predictor, increasing odds 11.0 times.
What it means for you
Trauma and anxiety appear to trigger PMDD in some women, but we do not know how. The main limitation is that this included only young women in one country followed for under 4 years.
3.0%
incidence of PMDD
4.2
odds increase from traumatic events
2.5
odds increase from anxiety disorder
About the study
- Original title
- Risk factors for premenstrual dysphoric disorder in a community sample of young women: the role of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder
- Authors
- Perkonigg A, Yonkers KA, Pfister H et al.
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry
- Year
- 2004
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 1,488
- What was tested
- None (observational study tracking naturally occurring trauma and stress)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v65n1004
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2019
How common is PMDD in teenage girls?
Review, 2000
What conditions beyond depression can antidepressants treat?
Study, 2026
Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?
Survey study, 2025
Is the PSST a good screening tool for PMS in Bangladesh?
Cohort study, 2022
Do adverse childhood experiences increase risk of PMS and PMDD?
Review, 1999
Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder?