Biopsychosocial etiology of premenstrual syndrome: A narrative review

Abstract

Introduction:Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most prevalent disorders at reproductive age and has a negative impact on emotions and performance of women. Since various factors play a role in the development of this syndrome, the present study was aimed to examine biopsychosocial etiology of PMS in the form of a narrative review.Materials and Methods:Relevant studies were collected based on the three subjects of biological, psychological, and social etiologies during 1987–2015. First, Medical Subject Headings was used to specify the relevant keywords such as biological, psychological, social, and premenstrual syndrome which were used to search Internet databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, PMDR, Ovid, Magiran, and Iranmedex, which led to collection of 1 book and 26 Persian and English articles.Results:The results were classified into three sections. In the biological section, the effect and role of sex hormones and their changes in PMS were examined. In the psychological section, hypotheses on PMS and the role of psychological problems in the development of PMS were examined. In the social section, the role and social, religious, and cultural position of women and its relationship with PMS were examined.Conclusion:To reduce negative experiences of PMS, it is recommended that girls should be provided with necessary scientific information on puberty and premenstrual health. The results showed that paying attention to the complaint on premenstrual symptoms is significant in women's comprehensive assessment, and it plays an essential role in diagnosing psychological and physical annoying diseases.

The relationship between body mass index, body composition and premenstrual syndrome prevalence in girls

“…However, this hypothesis is not fully understood, because it has been proven that increased fat deposits compensate for a lack of metabolism required by the body and simply enhances glucose consumption. Since the premenstrual phase is characterized by a decrease in hormones in the bloodstream, no significant increase in the function of the ovary and the uterus at the beginning of and during the next cycle is observed, and there is no clear reason for increased metabolic costs which are different during the premenstrual phase [16,18]. This theory partly explains the results of our research.…”

“…Diagnosis of PMS in this study was made according to the diagnostic criteria suggested by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) [16].…”

“…Childhood emotional experiences are linked with PMS prevalence in adulthood. In addition, the occurrence of PMS is influenced by lifestyle (physical activity, diet), personality disorders and addiction to psychoactive substances, as well as high body mass index (BMI) [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

The Relationship Between Age at Menarche and Premenstrual Syndrome with Anthropometric Indices in High School Female Students in Zahedan in 2017

“…Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most common health problems among women. It refers to the periodic recurrence of a combination of physical, psychological, and behavioral changes during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (1). The association between the menstrual cycle and behavioral changes in women was first identified by Hippocrates.…”

“…However, PMS, as a broad diagnostic concept, was first introduced in 1953 by Green and Dalton to indicate the recurrent symptoms during the premenstrual period or the first days of menstruation, which completely disappear after the cycle (1). PMS is very common among Iranian women in their menstrual periods, especially in high school students, which has reported about 80.4% in sev-eral studies.…”