---
title: Does childhood sexual abuse affect hormone levels and premenstrual symptoms?
description: Women with menstrually-related mood disorders who experienced childhood sexual abuse had higher oxytocin levels than those without this history. In women with
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-influence-of-early-life-sexual-abuse-on-oxytocin-concentrations-and-2015/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does childhood sexual abuse affect hormone levels and premenstrual symptoms?

Interview study, 2015

# Does childhood sexual abuse affect hormone levels and premenstrual symptoms?

Women with menstrually-related mood disorders who experienced childhood sexual abuse had higher oxytocin levels than those without this history. In women with abuse history, higher oxytocin was linked with fewer premenstrual symptoms.

 Early or limited evidence

60 women with menstrually-related mood disorders (20 with early sexual abuse history, 40 without)

## What they did

Studied 60 women with menstrually-related mood disorders: 20 with early childhood sexual abuse history and 40 without. Measured oxytocin levels in the blood and assessed premenstrual psychological and physical symptoms.

## What they found

Women with early childhood sexual abuse had higher oxytocin levels (5.39 pg/mL compared to 4.36 pg/mL in women without this history). In women with abuse history, higher oxytocin was linked with fewer premenstrual psychological and physical symptoms. This link was not seen in women without the abuse history.

## What it means for you

This suggests childhood sexual abuse may change how the hormone oxytocin works in women with menstrually-related mood disorders. In affected women, higher oxytocin may help reduce premenstrual symptoms. The study is small and only includes women who already have menstrually-related mood disorders, so findings may not apply to all women with PMS.

60

women studied

5.39 pg/mL

oxytocin level with abuse history

4.36 pg/mL

oxytocin level without abuse history

## About the study

Original title The influence of early life sexual abuse on oxytocin concentrations and premenstrual symptomatology in women with a menstrually related mood disorder Authors Crowley SK, Pedersen CA, Leserman J et al. Journal Biological psychology Year 2015 Study design Interview study Participants 40 What was tested Observational comparison by early sexual abuse history Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.04.003](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2015.04.003)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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

Cohort study, 2025

Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD?

Case-control study, 2014

Does past abuse affect pain sensitivity differently in women with menstrual mood disorders?

Cohort study, 2021

Are low antioxidant vitamins or high oxidative stress linked to premenstrual syndrome?

Survey study, 2025

Do menstrual problems and poor sleep affect mood and thinking in teenage girls?

Case-control study, 2013

Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD?

Study, 1976

Do mood and body changes happen at the same time in the menstrual cycle?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗