Introduction: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cause of conflict in women's lives, in the social relationship and the daily living activity. The prevalence of PMS worldwide is 47.8% which varies from one country to another. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of PMS among female University students and to assess the effect of PMS on their health-related quality of life (QOL) and to identify their coping behaviors against PMS. Methods: This is Cross-section analytical study applied on KAU female students, Jeddah Saudi Arabia during the year of 2020. Results: A total of 602 students were approached. PMS was seen in 50.6% of our sample, among which 24.1% had ‘Borderline to mild PMS symptoms, 12.5% had ‘Mild to moderate PMS’ symptoms, 8.5% had ‘Moderate to Severe PMS’ symptoms, 4.3%, and 1.2% had ‘Severe PMS’ and the ‘Disabling PMS’ symptoms respectively according to the ACOG criteria. Regarding the quality of life, our results revealed that the PMS group had significantly lower scores than the non-PMS group for physical and mental health-related quality of life. The most common methods used as copying behavior are hot water bottle and hot bath. Conclusion: The results of our study unveiled a relatively high prevalence of PMS syndrome and a significant negative effect of PMS on the QOL.
Keywords: Premenstrual, Quality of life, University Students, Saudi Arabia