[Marital communication and premenstrual symptoms].

Abstract

Most women have at least one premenstrual symptom. Despite the fact that these symptoms are sometimes light, they can affect the social environment. The relationship between premenstrual symptoms and marital communication was analysed in this study. 35 mexican couples were studies. Women's ages ranged from 35 to 40 and men's ages from 32 to 51. The conyugal time together fluctuated from 5 to 19 years. All women's cycles were regular. Women were given a menstrual symptoms questionnaire during two consecutive cycles. Furthermore, both spouses were given a marital communications questionnaire, twice in each woman's menstrual cycles: during premenstrual and postmenstrual phases. It was observed that marital communication decreased during the premenstrual period, compared to the postmenstrual phase. Moreover, it was found that the more severe the symptoms were the less marital communication was reported by women. Such co-relations were also given among men, at less degree, though. In brief, even women without being diagnosed for premenstrual syndrome have premenstrual symptoms apparently imperceptible which affect some aspects of their every day life such as marital communication.