Women's menstrual cycle phase and reproductive stage effect levels of irritability and anger: Study

In addition, the research demonstrated that many women begin to experience symptoms often associated with the menopause transition even as early as the late reproductive stage, although these women typically experience increasing severity of these arousal symptoms as they continue through the transition. Because the research mostly involved women who were continuing to have menstrual cycles, it was not possible to conclude whether arousal symptoms continue to vary during later stages of reproductive aging when their cycles become markedly irregular.

Results of the study are published in the article “Effects of menstrual cycle phases and reproductive aging stages on arousal symptoms: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study.”

“The findings of this study highlight what women have been telling us for years-that they experience anger and irritability and feel out of control just before their menstrual cycles and that this is more pronounced in the menopause transition. The results also speak to the need to better support women both physically and emotionally as they go through this universal life transition,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.

Reference:

Woods NF, Mitchell ES. Effects of menstrual cycle phases and reproductive aging stages on arousal symptoms: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study. Menopause. 2025 May 27. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002570.