Survey study, 1975
Does a mother's menstrual cycle affect how she responds to her child's illness?
Yes, mothers about to have or having their period were more likely to bring their children to the doctor than other women. However, their children were actually less sick than the children brought by other mothers.
What they did
Researchers randomly selected 140 women from over 1500 who brought children to a pediatric clinic in a 1-month period. They interviewed these women to learn whether their position in the menstrual cycle affected whether they sought medical care for their child.
What they found
Women about to have or having their period were more likely to bring their children to the doctor than women between periods. However, children brought by women with upcoming or active periods were considered less sick, had different types of illnesses, and had been sick for shorter periods than children brought by other women.
What it means for you
A woman's menstrual cycle may influence when she seeks medical care for her child, but this appears to reflect different motivations or awareness rather than actual differences in how sick the children are. The study only looked at one time point and one clinic.
140
women interviewed
1500+
women screened
About the study
- Original title
- The relationship between a mother's menstrual status and her response to illness in her child
- Authors
- Tuch RH
- Journal
- Psychosomatic medicine
- Year
- 1975
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 1,500
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/00006842-197509000-00002
Topics
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