Case-control study, 1993
Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's hearts and blood vessels respond to stress?
The menstrual cycle affected some cardiovascular measures in women without PMS but not in women with PMS. Women with PMS consistently showed weaker stress responses than women without PMS.
What they did
15 women with PMS and 15 without PMS were each tested twice during different cycle phases: once during the follicular phase and once during the luteal phase. Tests measured cardiovascular responses to stress and behavioral performance.
What they found
In non-PMS women, the luteal phase showed greater stroke volume and less vascular tightening than the follicular phase. In women with PMS, cardiovascular measures did not change across cycle phases. However, women with PMS had consistently lower blood pressure and heart rate responses to stress than non-PMS women, regardless of cycle phase.
What it means for you
Women with PMS may have a generally dampened response to stress that doesn't vary with their menstrual cycle, while non-PMS women show normal cycle-related changes. The study is limited by its small sample size.
15
Women with PMS
15
Control women without PMS
2
Test phases per person
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome: modifiers of cardiovascular reactivity in women
- Authors
- Girdler SS, Pedersen CA, Stern RA et al.
- Journal
- Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association
- Year
- 1993
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Testing during different menstrual cycle phases
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1037//0278-6133.12.3.180
Topics
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