--- title: Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth? description: Women with PMS or PMDD history had higher depression scores throughout pregnancy and postpartum, with PMDD carrying higher risk than PMS. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/trajectories-and-dimensional-phenotypes-of-depressive-symptoms-throughout-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth? Cohort study, 2025 # Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth? Women with PMS or PMDD history had higher depression scores throughout pregnancy and postpartum, with PMDD carrying higher risk than PMS. Strong study design Two large longitudinal cohorts of pregnant women ## What they did Two large longitudinal cohorts of women were followed from early pregnancy through 6 months after birth. Researchers measured depression regularly using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and asked women to report their PMS and PMDD history. ## What they found Both PMS and PMDD before pregnancy were linked to higher depression scores across pregnancy and postpartum, even after adjusting for other factors. At 6-13 weeks postpartum, women with PMS history had odds of 1.68 (95% CI 1.25-2.29) of depression. In late pregnancy, women with PMDD history had odds of 3.05 (95% CI 2.26-4.10). PMS and PMDD history was associated with certain patterns of depression symptoms including depressed mood, anxiety, and loss of enjoyment. ## What it means for you Women with PMS or PMDD history need close monitoring for depression during pregnancy and after birth. PMDD carries substantially higher risk than PMS. These women require coordinated care from psychiatrists, mental health clinicians, midwives, and gynaecologists. The study is observational, so we cannot prove causation, only association. PMS and PMDD history was self-reported from memory. 1.68 odds ratio for depression with PMS history (6-13 weeks postpartum) 3.05 odds ratio for depression with PMDD history (late pregnancy) ## About the study Original title Trajectories and dimensional phenotypes of depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy and postpartum in relation to prior premenstrual symptoms Authors Schleimann-Jensen E, Sundström-Poromaa I, Meltzer-Brody S et al. Journal The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science Year 2025 Study design Cohort study What was tested none Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.38](https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.38) Original abstract Background: Sensitivity to ovarian hormone fluctuations can lead to mental distress during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, such as in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and also during pregnancy and postpartum, as in perinatal depression (PND). Aims: In two cohorts, we investigated the relationship between history of PMS/PMDD and PND symptoms. We also examined how premenstrual symptoms are associated with perinatal symptom trajectories and dimensional phenotypes of PND symptoms, which remains unidentified. Method: From early pregnancy until 6 months postpartum, participants of two large longitudinal cohorts were followed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Premenstrual symptoms were self-reported retrospectively. Results: Both pre-pregnancy PMS and PMDD were associated with higher EPDS scores across pregnancy and postpartum, even after adjustment for confounders. The odds of developing PND were higher among those reporting PMS and PMDD, ranging up to 1.68 (95% CI 1.25-2.29) (6-13 weeks postpartum) and 3.05 (95% CI 2.26-4.10) (late pregnancy) respectively for PMS and PMDD, throughout the perinatal period. Premenstrual symptomatology was associated more with certain PND trajectories based on the time of occurrence and persistence of symptoms. However, PND symptom severity did not differ depending on premenstrual symptomatology in any trajectory. Prior PMS/PMDD was associated with underlying dimensions of symptom constructs of PND, including severe and moderate symptoms of depressed mood, anxiety and anhedonia. Conclusions: Women with a history of PMS/PMDD require coordinated care by psychiatrists, other mental health clinicians, midwives and gynaecologists during pregnancy as well as postpartum. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2022 What causes PMS and PMDD and what new treatments are being studied? Randomised trial, 2024 Does sertraline change brain chemicals in people with PMDD, and does this relate to symptom improvement? Survey study, 2022 Does emotional processing change through the cycle if someone had postpartum depression? Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Review, 2016 How do reproductive hormones affect mood and behavior in women? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗