---
title: Does worry about health change how stressed women feel at different times in their menstrual cycle?
description: Women with higher worry about health reported more stress during the late luteal phase. This worry did not change whether they experienced more premenstrual s
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-role-of-health-anxiety-in-the-experience-of-perceived-stress-across-the-2020/
---

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- Does worry about health change how stressed women feel at different times in their menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2020

# Does worry about health change how stressed women feel at different times in their menstrual cycle?

Women with higher worry about health reported more stress during the late luteal phase. This worry did not change whether they experienced more premenstrual symptoms overall.

 Early or limited evidence

38 women studied across two menstrual phases

## What they did

Researchers studied 38 women who visited the clinic twice: once in the late luteal phase and once in the follicular phase, with visit order randomized. Menstrual phase was confirmed with hormone tests.

## What they found

All women experienced more premenstrual symptoms in the late luteal phase than the follicular phase. Women with higher health anxiety reported greater perceived stress during the late luteal phase, but women with lower health anxiety reported similar stress levels in both phases. Health anxiety did not affect whether symptoms occurred.

## What it means for you

Worry about health may make menstrual-related stress worse, but does not change whether symptoms happen. The study had only 38 women and was observational, so results may not apply broadly.

38

women studied

2

menstrual phases studied

## About the study

Original title The role of health anxiety in the experience of perceived stress across the menstrual cycle Authors Shayani DR, Arditte Hall KA, Isley BC et al. Journal Anxiety, stress, and coping Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 38 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2020.1802434](https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2020.1802434)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)

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