Premenstrual syndrome is linked to high risks of moderate or severe vasomotor symptoms and permanent disappearance of periods before the age of 45.
- If menopause occurs before the age of 45, it is considered early.
- This early definitive cessation of periods was reported by 17 women suffering from premenstrual disorders compared to 12 volunteers from the control group.
- 68.3% of PMS patients reported moderate or severe vasomotor symptoms.
Premenstrual syndrome (or PMS) affects between 20 and 40% of women of childbearing age, according to Inserm. Among them, around 5% have a more severe form called “premenstrual dysphoric disorder”. This syndrome is characterized by a series of physical and psychological symptoms which generally occur between a few hours and several days before menstruation, and which disappear shortly after their arrival. Among the most common manifestations, we find fatigue, irritability, breast pain, headaches or back pain, mood disorders, digestive or dermatological problems. These symptoms can disrupt the social, professional and family lives of a third of women affected by PMS.
Permanent cessation of periods before age 45 in 17 women suffering from menstrual disorders
According to a recent study, carried out by American researchers and published in the journal JAMA Network Open, women suffering from menstrual disorders may be more likely to develop early menopause. To reach this conclusion, they used data, collected from a questionnaire sent between June 1991 and June 2017, from the “Nurses’ Health Study II” cohort. In total, 1,220 patients suffering from premenstrual syndrome and 2,415 healthy women were included in the work. During the 20-year follow-up, the timing of menopause was assessed every two years and moderate or severe vasomotor symptoms (i.e. hot flashes and night sweats) were assessed in 2009, 2013 and 2017.
Early menopause, or the permanent disappearance of periods before the age of 45, was reported by 17 participants with premenstrual disorders and by 12 volunteers in the control group. In addition to increasing the risk of early menopause, menstrual disorders can also worsen vasomotor symptoms in women. In research, “68.3% of women with PMS and 55.3% of patients reported moderate or severe vasomotor symptoms.”
Early menopause: “targeting women” at risk due to the presence of menstrual disorders
“Premenstrual disorders may be indicative of underlying physiology linked to early menopause and moderate or severe vasomotor symptoms, suggesting an observable phenotype during the reproductive years that could allow clinicians to target women at risk of early menopause and subsequent health risks later in life. concluded the authors in a statement.
