Survey study, 2003
How many women have PMDD and how serious is it?
3-8 percent of women meet strict PMDD criteria, but 13-18 percent experience severe symptoms that disrupt daily life. The impact on quality of life is as serious as major depression.
What they did
Researchers reviewed published studies about how common PMDD is, how much it impairs daily functioning, and its overall burden of disease in women of reproductive age.
What they found
3-8 percent of women meet the diagnostic criteria for PMDD. 13-18 percent have severe premenstrual symptoms even if they do not meet the full diagnostic count of 5 symptoms. The quality of life impairment for PMDD is similar to dysthymic disorder and comparable to major depressive disorder. PMDD causes disability comparable to other major recognized disorders.
What it means for you
PMDD is much more common and serious than often recognized, affecting work, relationships and daily life substantially. Effective treatments exist but are underused. This is a review of other studies rather than new research, so findings depend on the quality of prior work.
3-8%
Women meeting strict PMDD criteria
13-18%
With severe symptoms causing impairment
Major depression
Quality of life comparable to
About the study
- Original title
- The prevalence, impairment, impact, and burden of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD)
- Authors
- Halbreich U, Borenstein J, Pearlstein T et al.
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2003
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- Review of published epidemiological studies on PMDD
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(03)00098-2
Topics
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