PMS: Fast Facts
Reviewed By:
Marc Kaufman, M.D., ACOG
- An estimated 75 percent of menstruating women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to the National Women's Health Research Center (NWHRC).
- Up to 40 percent of menstruating women experience PMS symptoms bad enough to require treatment, according to the NWHRC.
- About 3 to 8 percent of women experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition similar to PMS but with much more severe symptoms, according to the NWHRC.
- PMS was first identified in 1931.
- The exact cause of PMS isn't known.
- There are more than 150 symptoms associated with PMS.
- PMS often worsens at times of hormonal instability, such as puberty, childbirth, or the period after a miscarriage or an abortion.
- Symptoms of PMS vary widely from woman to woman and can range from mild to severe.
- PMS can appear at any time between puberty and menopause.
- Not all women experience PMS, but most women will experience some of the symptoms associated with PMS at some point in their lives.
- Some PMS symptoms have been linked to deficiencies in calcium and vitamins A, E and B.
- Women with a history of depression or postpartum depression have a higher incidence of PMS.
- Lack of physical activity increases the risk of PMS.
- In addition to over-the-counter medications, a variety of prescription drugs can be helpful in relieving or reducing PMS symptoms. These include birth control pills, diuretics ("water pills") and antidepressants (for severe PMS or PMDD).
- Many herbal or natural products are advertised as helpful for relieving PMS symptoms. They may contain black cohosh, ginger, red raspberry leaf, dandelion tea, chaste tree berry and evening primrose oil. However, these claims haven't been proven, and the Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate these products for safety or effectiveness.
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