Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) after pregnancy
Premenstrual syndrome, PMS for short, is a condition that women can suffer from both before and after pregnancy. Especially the days shortly before the period are affected. Here we explain to what extent this syndrome makes itself felt and what the causes are.
What is PMS?
PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome, which can occur in women of childbearing potential. Often women are affected who are over 30 years old or have already had a child. It occurs to varying degrees in up to three-quarters of all women and is particularly noticeable in the second half of the cycle, to be precise, ten to four days before the onset of the period. It manifests itself through physical, but especially through psychological symptoms.
According to the definition, a PMS symptom is assumed if a cycle-dependent symptom occurs, the symptoms become noticeable in two subsequent cycles and at least one symptom-free week can be detected in the first half of the cycle. In addition, however, there is a particularly severe form of PMS: premenstrual dysphoria, PMDD for short, which is even recognized as an independent mental illness.
It may happen that women who have never been affected by PMS before suffer from the symptoms after pregnancy. Often even much stronger than before the birth of a child.
Symptoms of premenstrual syndrome
Whether and to what extent a woman has premenstrual syndromes varies from woman to woman. Often these are physical and psychological complaints that return with the onset of the period. The most common physical and mental ailments are:
Physical symptoms
- Circulatory problems, migraine, nausea
- Tension in the chest
- Abdominal pain as well as headache and back pain
- Diarrhoea
- Water retention in the tissue
- Skin
- Cravings, bloating, loss of appetite
- Exhaustion, powerlessness or fainting
- Stimulus sensitivity (noise, light, stress, smells)
Psychological symptoms
- Depression or depressive moods
- Irritability, outbursts of anger, aggressiveness
- Mood
- Restlessness
- exaggerated feelings, such as laughing or crying for no reason
Causes of PMS after pregnancy
The hormonal balance
The female body, especially in the placenta, produces enormous amounts of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy. As a result, equally large amounts of endorphins, i.e. happiness hormones, are released. This hormone high of the estrogen and progesterone levels drops extremely after the birth of the child, which is why many mothers suffer from an enormous low mood after pregnancy. In addition, there is the burden with the newborn. This hormone chaos can cause a particularly strong manifestation of PMS after pregnancy in some mothers.
In addition, there is the re-levelling of the cycle. After pregnancy, it may take a few weeks before ovulation occurs again. So it can also take some women until a regular period sets in again. This is because the hormone prolactin, which is produced in enormous quantities during pregnancy and lactation, prevents the complete maturation of an egg. For this reason, it can happen especially in nursing mothers that it comes to cycles in which a period occurs, but still no ovulation takes place.
However, the hormone estrogen is quickly produced again in large quantities by the body after pregnancy. However, since prolactin prevents ovulation, no progestors are released either. This imbalance is also referred to as estrogen dominance. These hormonal changes and fluctuations are blamed as the main reasons for premenstrual syndrome after pregnancy.
Nutrition
Nutrition also plays a decisive role in PMS after pregnancy. After all, during pregnancy, the female body needs a large amount of vitamins and minerals to provide the baby with sufficient supplies. Especially during breastfeeding, a large amount of calcium is needed for milk. So if not enough calcium is taken through the diet, the body claims this mineral from the mother’s bones. Such calcium deficiency intensifies PMS after pregnancy.
In addition to calcium, vitamins are also enormously important for the nutrition of a pregnant and nursing mother. If these substances are not sufficiently present in the body, PMS can occur strongly after pregnancy, as the body may have used up its reserves.
Stressors
In addition to hormone levels and diet, stress may also be responsible for premenstrual syndrome. After pregnancy, a woman’s everyday life is completely restructured. The psychological pressure to be a good mother is growing. In addition, lack of sleep, problems with breastfeeding, the chaos in the apartment and the lack of time for the partner or friends can become enormous stressors.
These negative reactions very often cause severe exhaustion and inner tension, which in turn influence the concentration of various messenger substances in the brain. If this concentration is thrown out of balance, it can also negatively affect the female cycle and thus lead to a strong development of PMS.
Those affected should seek help
These symptoms and the severity of the onset of premenstrual syndrome after pregnancy varies from woman to woman. Of course, it can also be completely absent. However, those affected do not have to live with these factors. There are both natural micronutrients and herbal remedies that can help against the negative consequences of this syndrome. In addition, a visit to the doctor can help a lot, especially when it comes to severe depressive manifestations. Basically, however, it is never a mother’s fault if she should suffer from PMS. And she is by no means alone.