Prevalence of Premenstrual Syndrome and Its Impact on Quality of Life in Married Females With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is frequently associated with psychological distress and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and hormonal dysregulation may increase vulnerability to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Objective: To determine the prevalence of PMS severity among married women with PCOS and assess its association with HRQOL. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2024 to March 2025 among married women aged 25–35 years with PCOS attending hospitals in Sialkot, Pakistan (Ref # USKT/FAHS/RECLetter-00091). PCOS eligibility was assessed using a clinical diagnostic screening questionnaire (score >2). PMS severity was measured using the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), and HRQOL was assessed using the SF-36. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate prevalence, and simple linear regression examined the association between PMS score and HRQOL summary score using SPSS v26. Results: Among 375 participants (mean age 29.45 ± 2.74 years), PMS severity was predominantly severe (47.5%) or moderate (42.9%), with mild (7.7%) and very severe (1.9%) symptoms less frequent. HRQOL categories were severe impairment (40.5%), moderate impairment (17.1%), mild impairment (10.7%), and healthy (31.7%). PMS score showed a statistically significant association with HRQOL (p=0.042), although the explained variance was small (R²=0.011). Conclusion: PMS is highly prevalent in married women with PCOS and is significantly associated with HRQOL; however, the magnitude of association is small, indicating that additional determinants likely contribute to overall quality-of-life impairment.: