Association between menstrual-related health problems and mental disorders in male partners: A nested case-control study

OBJECTIVE: Dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, and premenstrual syndrome/premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS/PMDD) are associated with psychological distress in affected women. However, evidence of their potential effects on the mental health of male partners is limited. This study aimed to investigate the association between menstrual-related health problems (MRHPs) and male partners' mental health. METHODS: This nested case-control study was conducted using a large Japanese claims database from January 2005 to July 2024. Cases were men who were newly diagnosed with mental disorders and had female spouses. For each case, up to four controls without mental disorders were selected using risk-set sampling and matched for age, insurance status, calendar year, and registration month. Exposure was defined as the diagnosis of at least one MRHP (dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, or PMS/PMDD) in the female spouse within 1 year before the index date. Conditional logistic regression analysis and sensitivity and disease-specific analyses were also performed. RESULTS: In total, 85,478 cases and 306,512 controls were identified. The presence of a spouse with an MRHP was associated with increased odds of a mental disorder in the male partner (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.09). These findings were consistent across sensitivity analyses. Disease-specific analyses revealed similar associations for endometriosis (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.11) and dysmenorrhea (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.09). No significant association was observed for PMS/PMDD (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.96-1.25). CONCLUSION: MRHPs in women, particularly endometriosis and dysmenorrhea, were modestly associated with newly diagnosed mental disorders in male partners.