OBJECTIVES: To elicit willingness to pay (WTP) values for mild and severe primary dysmenorrhea (PD) health states from women with PD and non-PD controls. METHODS: A convenience sample of women meeting the following criteria were included in the study: i) aged 18-40; ii) nulliparous and not pregnant at the time of the survey; iii) not in menopause. Two hypothetical PD health states were developed based on literature review. WTP values were recorded by a simple open-ended question, where respondents were asked to indicate a lump sum amount of money they would be willing to pay for a complete cure. Multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate the predictors of WTP. RESULTS: Responses of 1,836 women affected by PD and 160 non-PD controls were analysed. 92% and 63% of women with PD, while 96% and 67% of the controls were willing to trade money to avoid the severe and mild PD health states, respectively. Women with PD indicated they would pay a trimmed mean of €419 (95%CI 373-468) and €41 (95%CI 36-46) to be cured from the two health states, respectively. Controls offered significantly more money: an average of €785 (95%CI 530-1318) for the severe and €75 (95%CI 49-136) for the mild health state (p<0.05). WTP decreased by 2.8% with one more year of age and by 15.5% due to PD-related mood changes, whereas it increased by 18.0% due to PD-related headaches and/or instances of dizziness and was 14.3% lower for those who used oral contraceptives (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to measure WTP values for PD health states. Consistently with the literature, controls tended to offer larger amounts for both health states compared to women with PD. Our findings provide insight into the intangible costs of PD and serve as useful input for cost-benefit analyses.