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Case-control study, 1999

Does the menstrual cycle or PMS change how the body processes pregnanolone?

No. The study found no significant differences in how quickly pregnanolone is eliminated in women with PMS compared to healthy women, or between different phases of the menstrual cycle.

Early or limited evidence 7 women with premenstrual syndrome and 7 healthy female controls

What they did

Seven women with PMS and seven healthy women received increasing doses of pregnanolone (a compound related to progesterone) during both the follicular phase (first half) and luteal phase (second half) of the menstrual cycle. Researchers measured how long it took the body to clear the drug.

What they found

The time for the body to clear half of a pregnanolone dose varied between 28.4 and 31.8 minutes across all women and cycle phases. Clearance rates varied between 59.6 and 64.0 ml per minute per kilogram. No significant differences were found between women with PMS and healthy women, or between cycle phases.

What it means for you

This small study suggests hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle and PMS do not significantly affect how the body processes pregnanolone. With only 7 women in each group, larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

7

Women with PMS

7

Healthy control women

28.4-31.8 min

Time to clear half the pregnanolone dose

About the study

Original title
Lack of influence of menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome diagnosis on pregnanolone pharmacokinetics
Authors
Sundström I, Spigset O, Andersson A et al.
Journal
European journal of clinical pharmacology
Year
1999
Study design
Case-control study
What was tested
Pregnanolone doses given in different menstrual cycle phases

Topics