Survey study, 1993
Does menstrual cycle phase affect how often women get infection symptoms?
Women reported more infection symptoms during menstruation and the week before, compared to the middle of their cycle. However, this appears linked more to stress and menstrual distress than to the cycle phase itself.
What they did
65 women with regular cycles not taking birth control completed three questionnaires three times during their cycle (during menstruation, midcycle, and the week before their period). The questionnaires measured menstrual distress, stress, and symptoms of respiratory, skin, stomach, and urinary tract infections.
What they found
Infection symptoms clustered significantly around menstruation and the perimenstrual period compared to midcycle. Scores on stress and menstrual distress were significantly related to infection symptom frequency. When menstrual distress was accounted for, cycle phase effects disappeared; when cycle phase was accounted for, stress and menstrual distress significantly influenced symptom scores.
What it means for you
Women may experience more infection symptoms during their period and the week before, but this appears linked more to stress and distress than to the cycle itself. The main limitation is the small convenience sample studied only once at each cycle phase rather than tracked daily.
65
women studied
3
cycle phases tested
3
questionnaires completed per phase
About the study
- Original title
- Relationships between self-reported symptoms of infection, menstrual-cycle-related distress, and cycle phase
- Authors
- Groër M, Carr J, Younger MS
- Journal
- Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.)
- Year
- 1993
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/08964289.1993.9937560
Topics
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