PMDD and the Role of Municipalities: Why Local Support Matters
The shocking figures
In February 2025, Stichting PMDD Nederland published the report "Elke maand onderuit: ervaringen van Nederlandse vrouwen met PMDD". The figures are shocking: women wait an average of 13 years for a diagnosis. 60% of respondents have had suicidal thoughts. 87% indicate that PMDD has a major impact on their family.
These figures show not only the severity of the condition, but also the failure of the current system. Where is the support? And what can municipalities and local governments do?
Why municipalities should play a role
PMDD is not just a medical problem - it's a societal problem. Women with PMDD:
- Drop out of work more often
- Have more difficulty maintaining social contacts
- Are at increased risk of relationship problems
- Often struggle with combining work and family
These are all things that directly affect the local community. Municipalities therefore have not only a moral, but also a practical responsibility to support women with PMDD.
The NVOG report: a wake-up call
In 2023, the Dutch Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG) published a report on the social acceptance of women-specific conditions. The report emphasizes that:
- Women wait an average of 7-8 years for a correct diagnosis of women-specific conditions
- There is a lack of awareness and recognition
- Women-specific conditions are often minimized or ignored
- More research and support is needed
This report, combined with the PMDD report, shows that there is a systematic problem. And municipalities can make a difference here.
What municipalities can do: practical steps
1. Create awareness
Municipalities can play a crucial role in increasing awareness about PMDD:
- Information campaigns: Organize local campaigns about PMDD and women-specific conditions
- Training for professionals: Offer training for municipal employees, social workers and local healthcare providers
- Collaboration with healthcare providers: Work with GPs and gynecologists to better recognize PMDD
2. Local support networks
Municipalities can facilitate local initiatives:
- Peer support groups: Facilitate meeting places for women with PMDD
- Information meetings: Organize meetings where women can get information
- Collaboration with experienced experts: Work with organizations such as PMDD Nederland and local coaches
3. Employment and preventing dropout
PMDD has a major impact on work. Municipalities can:
- Inform employers: Help employers understand what PMDD is and how they can support employees
- Flexible work arrangements: Encourage flexible work arrangements for women with PMDD
- Reintegration support: Offer support for reintegration after dropout
4. Prevention and early intervention
Municipalities can invest in prevention:
- Youth education: Inform young women about PMDD and hormonal conditions
- Early detection: Train professionals to recognize PMDD early
- Accessible care: Ensure women have quick access to the right care
The example: what other municipalities do
Some municipalities have already taken steps:
- Rotterdam: Erasmus MC has established the Women's Health Research & Innovation Center, which focuses on research into women-specific conditions
- Amsterdam: Various initiatives for women's health and awareness
- Utrecht: Local collaboration between healthcare providers and experienced experts
But there is much more possible. Every municipality can make a difference by:
- Including PMDD in local health policy
- Working with local healthcare providers
- Involving experienced experts in policy making
- Allocating budget for awareness and support
The link with PMDD Resilience
The PMDD Resilience Program can play an important role in local support. The program:
- Provides practical tools: Women get concrete handles to deal with PMDD
- Reduces dropout: Through better coping strategies, women can function better
- Is evidence-informed: Based on scientific research and 50,000+ experiences
- Is scalable: Can be offered to groups of women within municipalities
Municipalities can offer the PMDD Resilience Program:
- To residents: As part of local health programs
- Fund via WMO: For women who need support
- Integrate into reintegration trajectories: For women who have dropped out
- Offer via employers: As a preventive health program
Why this is important now
Recent developments - the PMDD report, the NVOG report, the documentary "Helse hormonen" - show that there is momentum. There is more attention for PMDD than ever. This is the moment for municipalities to step in and make a difference.
But it's not just about momentum. It's about:
- Human suffering: Every woman who waits 13 years for a diagnosis is 13 years too long
- Social costs: Work dropout, relationship problems, healthcare costs
- Equality: Women deserve the same attention for their health as men
- Future: Young women deserve better education and support
What you can do
As a resident of a municipality, you can:
- Contact your municipality: Ask what your municipality does for women with PMDD
- Take initiative: Organize a meeting or information evening
- Collaborate: Work with local healthcare providers and experienced experts
- Ask for attention: Write to your city council or alderman
As a municipality, you can:
- Develop policy: Include PMDD in your health policy
- Allocate budget: Invest in awareness and support
- Collaborate: Work with PMDD Nederland and local coaches
- Measure and evaluate: Track how many women you reach and what the effect is
The future: a municipality that takes PMDD seriously
Imagine: a municipality where:
- Every woman gets a diagnosis within 1 year, not 13 years
- Employers understand what PMDD is and support employees
- There is local support for women and their families
- PMDD is seen as a serious condition, not as "it's normal"
This is possible. But it requires action. From municipalities. From healthcare providers. From all of us.
Together we make the difference
The PMDD Resilience Program is not only for individual women - it can also play a role in local communities. By working with municipalities, we can:
- Reach more women
- Enable early intervention
- Prevent dropout
- Change lives
*Valeria is a PMDD Coach & Experienced Expert with 10+ years of experience with PMDD. She helps women get their lives back through the PMDD Resilience Program and works with municipalities and government institutions to better recognize and support PMDD.*
