---
title: When during the menstrual cycle do menstrual symptoms peak? | Niyora
description: Symptoms peak in the days immediately before and after menstruation starts, not declining sharply once bleeding begins. Ratings were highest around menstruati
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-timing-of-menstruation-related-symptoms-assessed-by-a-daily-symptom-rating-1979/
---

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- When during the menstrual cycle do menstrual symptoms peak?

Survey study, 1979

# When during the menstrual cycle do menstrual symptoms peak?

Symptoms peak in the days immediately before and after menstruation starts, not declining sharply once bleeding begins. Ratings were highest around menstruation onset.

 Early or limited evidence

65 women, mainly hospital staff, median age 19

## What they did

65 women, mostly hospital staff with median age 19, completed a daily symptom rating scale throughout one complete menstrual cycle. Researchers looked at how symptom severity changed across cycle phases.

## What they found

Symptom ratings increased significantly during the premenstrual week. The highest ratings occurred on the days immediately before or immediately after menstruation started. There was no abrupt drop in symptoms when menstruation actually began.

## What it means for you

Menstrual symptoms tend to cluster around the onset of bleeding rather than strictly in the days before it. This challenges assumptions about symptom timing. The study was small, included mainly healthcare workers, and tracked only one cycle per woman, so results may not apply to all women or all cycles.

65

women studied

19

median age

1

menstrual cycle tracked per woman

## About the study

Original title The timing of menstruation-related symptoms assessed by a daily symptom rating scale Authors Taylor JW Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Year 1979 Study design Survey study Participants 65 What was tested None; observational symptom tracking. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb00268.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb00268.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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