1307 © IJMDC. https://www.ijmdc.com International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries Prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and its impact on life among women in Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Hanadi Bakhsh 1 , Amal Mohammed Alghamdi 2 , Maya Abdullah Alyahya 2 , Shaden Jamaan Alghamdi 2* , Afrah Alonazi 2 , Rawabi Algomaishy 2 , Edward De Vol 3 , Abdullah Almalki 3 ABSTRACT Background: The study aims to evaluate the prevalence, severity, and impact of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) on females in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was performed on 274 females using a validated PSST means Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool to estimate the prevalence of PMS, impacts of PMS symptoms on functional activi- ties, and relevant sociodemographic data. Results: The prevalence rate of PMS was 47.1% that influenced the emotional, psychobehavioral, and physical domain, with severe complaints among 10% of the students. More than 60% of the participants complained of any sort of functional impairment, but severe functional impairment ranged from 1.4% to 5.8% for academic achievement and home responsibilities, respectively. Conclusion: PMS was moderately prevalent with increased sensitivity to rejection and generalized pain affect- ing one-fifth of the participants. Keywords: Female, exercise, premenstrual syndrome, sensitivity. Introduction Disorders of menstruation constitute major gynecological complaints, especially among adolescents [1]. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by the presence of both physical and behavioral symptoms that occur repetitively in the second half of the menstrual cycle and interfere with some aspects of the woman’s life [2]. Women with PMS experience a wide variety of cyclic and recurrent physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms that begin in the luteal phase (second half) of the menstrual cycle and resolve shortly after the onset of menses (the follicular phase). However, the core symptoms include behavioral symptoms; such as depression, irritability, and anxiety; and somatic symptoms; such as breast pain, bloating and swelling, and headache. The core feature is the recurrent onset of symptoms during the end of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle with a symptom-free period shortly after menses has begun, typically when the menstrual flow has ended [3]. The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems defined PMS as the occurrence of one premenstrual symptom from a cluster of symptoms. The symptoms included breast swelling and tenderness, acne, bloating and weight gain, pains (headache and joint pains), food cravings, and emotional symptoms, including irritability, mood swings, crying spells, and depression. These symptoms are restricted to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and cease with the commencement of menstrual flow [4,5]. Correspondence to: Shaden Jamaan Al Ghamdi *College of Medicine, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Email: shaden_alghamdi@outlook.com Full list of author informaton is available at the end of the artcle. Received: 05 January 2020 | Accepted: 14 January 2020 Hanadi Bakhsh et al, 2020;4(9):1307–1312. https://doi.org/10.24911/IJMDC.51-1578236787 ORIGINAL ARTICLE