DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i03.087

Pages: 1462-1466

The fluctuation in hormonal concentrations during the menstrual cycle has profound influence on autonomic and metabolic activities. In the present study we compare the autonomic sympathetic variables to find out co- relation between menstrual phase-follicular phase and also to find out co-relation between menstrual phase-luteal phase. The present study was carried out on 150 healthy female subjects with normal menstrual cycles between the ages of 18 to 25 years, in the Department of physiology, Dr. S. N. Medical College Jodhpur. Sympathetic non-invasive autonomic function tests were performed that is cold pressure test and postural challenge test including resting blood pressure. The tests were conducted during menstrual phase, follicular phase and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle using mercury sphygmomanometer. The results were statistically analysed by applying paired “t” test. Blood pressure, orthostatic variation of blood pressure and cold pressor test were statistically significantly higher (p<0.05), in luteal phase as compared to menstrual phase of menstrual cycle in contrast to the significant less (p<0.05) in the follicular phase as compared to menstrual phase. The sympathetic function tests showed significant (p<0.01) differences between the follicular phase-menstrual phase and Luteal phase-menstrual phase. Our study shows that sympathetic activity is highest during luteal phase and lowest in the follicular phase as compared to menstrual phase. This higher sympathetic activity may be correlated with higher oestrogen & progesterone levels during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The results emerging from our study emphasize the complexity of the relationship between ovarian steroids & various hemodynamic regulatory systems.