Asian Journal of Medical Sciences | Jul-Aug 2016 | Vol 7 | Issue 4 39 INTRODUCTION During reproductive age, women generally experience physical, psychological and behavioral symptoms regularly at the same phase of each menstrual cycle, especially during the premenstrual period or early menstruation, but occasionally symptoms occur at ovulation. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition which manifests with distressing physical, behavioral and psychological symptoms, in the absence of organic or underlying psychiatric disease, which regularly recurs during the luteal phase of each menstrual cycle and which disappears or significantly regresses by the end of menstruation.1 The onset of the menstrual flow usually brings dramatic and complete relief of these symptoms. According to American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (2009), at least (85%) of the menstruating women have experienced at least one premenstrual symptom and these symptoms may appear to some degree at the different stages in their reproductive lives.2 The degree and type of the premenstrual symptoms can vary significantly from woman to woman but their character is less important than their timing and their severity. In PMS, the premenstrual symptoms can affect work and school performance, and lead to problems/ Assessment of premenstrual syndrome among reproductive aged Myanmar women Htet Htet Oo1, Mya Thanda Sein2, Ohn Mar3, Aye Aung4 1Lecturer, Department of Physiology, University of Medicine 2, Yangon, Myanmar, 2Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, University of Medicine Magway, Myanmar, 3Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, University of Medicine 1, Yangon, Myanmar, 4Rector, University of Medicine 2, Yangon, Myanmar ORIGINAL ARTICLE ASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCES Address for correspondence: Dr. Mya Thanda Sein, University of Medicine 2, Kay Mar Thi Road, North Okkalapa, Township, Yangon, Myanmar. E-mail: dr.myathandasein@gmail.com. Phone: 95‑1‑687035, 95-9-5109450. © Copyright AJMS A B S T R A C T Submitted: 01-09-2015 Revised: 14-01-2016 Published: 01-07-2016 Background: Almost all women experience at least mild degree of one or more premenstrual symptoms during the days before menstruation. Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) experience a pattern of severe premenstrual symptoms month after month and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is the extreme, predominantly psychological end of the PMS spectrum. These symptoms hinder some aspect of their family as well as social lives and also interfere their activities at work. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of PMS among reproductive aged Myanmar women from medical field and to investigate the frequency and severity of symptoms experience by the women with PMS. Materials and Methods: All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire derived from Calendar of Premenstrual Experiences (COPE) for two consecutive menstrual cycle to diagnose PMS and PMDD. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 400 reproductive aged women (between 15 - 45 years) among the medical students, doctors and nurses. Results: Out of 400 subjects, 149 women (37.3%) met DSM-IV criteria for PMS and 251 women (62.7%) did not have PMS. Among PMS women, 81 women (54.4%) had PMDD. The most frequent PMS symptoms were poor concentration (88.6%), irritability (87.3%), ache and pain (81.9%), increased appetite (79.2%) and breast swelling (75.8%). The most frequent symptom in mild and moderate PMS is physical symptom (ache and pain) and that in PMDD was psychological symptom (poor concentration). Conclusion: The prevalence of PMS with high PMDD proportion was found in reproductive aged Myanmar women from medical field. Key words: Premenstrual symptoms, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Calendar of premenstrual experiences (COPE) Access this article online Website: http://nepjol.info/index.php/AJMS DOI: 10.3126/ajms.v7i4.13298 E-ISS