--- title: How common is PMS in young Saudi women and what factors increase risk? description: 35.6% of female medical students in Saudi Arabia were diagnosed with PMS. Risk factors included being older, living in a rural area, having a family history o url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-phenomenology-of-premenstrual-syndrome-in-female-medical-students-a-cross-2010/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common is PMS in young Saudi women and what factors increase risk? Interview study, 2010 # How common is PMS in young Saudi women and what factors increase risk? 35.6% of female medical students in Saudi Arabia were diagnosed with PMS. Risk factors included being older, living in a rural area, having a family history of PMS, and starting periods at a younger age. Moderate study design 250 female medical students in Saudi Arabia ## What they did Cross-sectional study of 250 female medical students in Saudi Arabia from June to December 2009. Participants completed questionnaires about their age, menstrual history, physical activity, mental health, and PMS symptoms using American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology criteria. Researchers analyzed which factors predicted PMS. ## What they found PMS was diagnosed in 35.6% of students (45% mild, 32.6% moderate, 22.4% severe). The most common activity limitation was difficulty concentrating in class (48.3%). Anxiety and depression were significantly more common in the PMS group. Risk factors for PMS included older age, rural residence, younger age at first period, regular menstrual cycles, and family history of PMS. ## What it means for you PMS is common in young women and causes real problems like trouble concentrating in school, anxiety, and depression. Several factors appear to increase risk, including family history and age factors. However, this study was only in one Saudi city, so results may not apply everywhere. Some concentration problems occurred even without PMS, so we can't be certain PMS specifically causes this. 250 female medical students 35.6% diagnosed with PMS 22.4% had severe PMS ## About the study Original title The phenomenology of premenstrual syndrome in female medical students: a cross sectional study Authors Balaha MH, Amr MA, Saleh Al Moghannum M et al. Journal The Pan African medical journal Year 2010 Study design Interview study Participants 250 What was tested No intervention; analyzed associations with PMS risk Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.4314/pamj.v5i1.56194](https://doi.org/10.4314/pamj.v5i1.56194) Original abstract Background: The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is particularly common in the younger age groups and, therefore represents a significant public health problem in young girls. This study aims to estimate the prevalence, severity, determinants of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its impact among the female medical students in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was performed at the College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia, from June through December 2009. It included 250 medical students. They filled different questionnaires covering American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) criteria to diagnose PMS, demographic & reproductive factors, physical activity and mental condition. Regression analysis was conducted for all the predictors. Results: PMS was diagnosed in 35.6% of cases, distributed as 45% mild, 32.6% moderate and 22.4% severe. There were significant trends for older age, rural residence, family income and family history of PMS. The dominant limited activity was concentration in class (48.3%). Limitations of activities were significantly more frequent among severe cases. The prevalence of anxiety and depression was statistically more evident in the PMS group. Regression analysis revealed that, PMS was significantly associated with older age groups, rural residence, lower age at menarche, regularity of menses and family history. Conclusion: PMS is a common problem in young Saudi students in Al Ahsa. Severe PMS was associated with more impairment of daily activities and psychological distress symptoms. Older student age, rural residence, earlier age of menarche, regular cycles and positive family history are possible risk factors for PMS. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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, 2025 Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS? Systematic review, 2020 How common is PMS among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia? Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Randomised trial, 2025 Does aerobic exercise with lifestyle changes reduce PMS symptoms in college students? Survey study, 2025 Does PMS make teenage girls more anxious and reduce their quality of life? Survey study, 2024 How common are PMS and PMDD in young Turkish women and what factors are linked to them? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗