Survey study, 1992
How common are severe premenstrual symptoms in the general population of women?
Severe or moderately severe mood symptoms were not significantly more common in the premenstrual phase than mid-cycle in this large population study. Only 1% of mood symptoms in the population can be attributed to the premenstrual state.
What they did
Population-based survey of 2650 urban women aged 20-49 selected through random household sampling. Used standardized symptom questionnaire and determined menstrual cycle phase through follow-up for 71% of naturally cycling women. Initial response rate was 78.8%.
What they found
Higher prevalence of severe or moderately severe affective symptoms in the premenstrual phase compared to mid-cycle was not found. Premenstrual distress appears to be a discrete mood disorder affecting women aged 25-35 years with probable ovulatory cycles and vulnerability to stress. The risk of affective symptoms attributable to the premenstrual state was 1%.
What it means for you
Premenstrual symptoms may be less common than commonly believed. This suggests premenstrual distress is a condition affecting some specific women rather than a normal part of every woman's menstrual cycle. The limitation is that cycle phase wasn't determined at initial symptom assessment.
2650
women surveyed
78.8%
response rate
1%
attributable risk of mood symptoms
About the study
- Original title
- The epidemiology of premenstrual symptoms in a population-based sample of 2650 urban women: attributable risk and risk factors
- Authors
- Ramcharan S, Love EJ, Fick GH et al.
- Journal
- Journal of clinical epidemiology
- Year
- 1992
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 2,650
- What was tested
- Observational survey
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0895-4356(92)90039-p
Topics
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