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Objective: The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence, clinical signi®cance and comorbidity of perimenstrual symptoms/ syndrome (PERI-MS) in a community sample of women. Method: Premenstrual and menstrual physical and psychological symptoms were assessed in a prospective longitudinal study of a representative community cohort of women (N=299) who were interviewed ®ve times between the ages of 21 and 35 years. Results: When classi®ed according to the severity of distress, the prevalence rates were 8.1% for severe and 13.6% for moderate PERI-MS, respectively. Clinical indicators of severity were all greater among PERI-MS women with than without depressed mood. Conclusion:The results of this study suggest that irritability, nervousness and tension irrespective of the presence of concomitant depressed mood are core elements of the perimenstrual syndrome.

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If long-term trials confirm its efficacy, these results support lifelong prophylactic treatment of severe types of mood disorders.