Comparison of progesterone, placebo and behavioral psychotherapy in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome

Seventy-six women complaining of premenstrual syndrome were selected for the study after completing a 2-month diary and an initial standardized assessment. They were randomly allocated to progesterone treatment, drug placebo or behavior therapy. Their progress was rated by independent assessors at 3 and 6 months following admission into the study. Although over half of the subjects showed some improvement when followed up, there were no significant differences between treatments. Many of the women taking progesterone or placebo mentioned side-effects and compliance rates with treatment were low. The results do not support the view that either of the active treatments was superior to placebo.