Relationships between premenstrual complaints and perimenopausal experiences

This study evaluates whether a history of menstrually-related problems, ter med premenstrual complaints (PMCs), is a significant predictive marker for a more symptomatic perimenopausal experience. Two hundred and ninety-one ra ndomly selected urban women, aged between 45 and 55 years were interviewed yearly for three consecutive years to record their individual experiences a nd changes as they progressed through the menopause transition. Repeated me asures were obtained on a range of physical, psychological and social indic ators. The experiences of women who reported a self-defined history of prem enstrual complaints (n = 104) were compared with those women with no prior premenstrual problems (n = 187) and predictors of perimenopausal symptoms w ere assessed. Relationships were found between a prior history of both phys ical and psychological premenstrual complaints and a more symptomatic perim enopause characterised by dysphoria, skeletal, digestive and respiratory sy mptoms (all ps < 0.05). The more symptomatic women also reported pronounced interpersonal stress (p < 0.001), significant 'hassles' current smoking an d low exercise (ps<0.05). The findings support predictive relationships bet ween a prior history of premenstrual problems and a more problematic menopa use transition. The issues of vulnerability and help-seeking behaviors are discussed.