Diagnostic Recognition Timeline
From medical margins to global recognition, this timeline traces how Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and related conditions gained formal recognition from leading global health and psychiatric authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
It took close to 30 years for PMDD to go from a proposed condition to being officially recognized. Despite this, many healthcare providers remain unaware or untrained in identifying and treating it, contributing to widespread misdiagnosis and suffering.
1987 → The term Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorder (LLPDD) is used in clinical settings to describe severe premenstrual symptoms. It is introduced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition Revised (DSM-3 R)* as a condition requiring further study.
1994 → PMDD was listed in the appendix of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-4)* as a condition requiring further research.
2013 → PMDD was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)* as a depressive disorder.
2016 → The National Institute of Health** found that people with PMDD have a heightened sensitivity to estrogen and progesterone due to a genetic molecular mechanism. They confirmed this by comparing white blood cells from individuals with and without PMDD, revealing an altered hormonal response at the cellular level.
2019 → PMDD was officially included in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision ICD-11***, as a disease of the genitourinary system, cross-listed as a depressive disorder. This recognition helped confirm PMDD as a real and legitimate medical diagnosis worldwide, opening the door to better awareness, research, and care.
2020 → Research findings indicate that there may be PMDD subtypes. More and more evidence highlights the possibility of distinct subtypes of PMDD and PME with unique pathophysiologies (biological causes/pathways).
📌 *The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published and maintained by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), a professional organization of psychiatrists based in the United States. The APA oversees the creation, revision, and dissemination of the DSM.
**The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the United States' medical research agency. It supports scientific studies that improve health, prevent disease, and advance medical knowledge.
***The ICD-11 is the global standard for classifying and coding diseases and health conditions, used by healthcare providers and researchers worldwide. Developed by the WHO, it includes updated diagnostic criteria, reflecting the latest scientific research.