To evaluate the involvement of autonomic nervous system during pre and post menstrual phases in young women.

ABSTRACT

Background: During reproductive life, Women undergo many types of behavioural and hormonal changes, which influence various functions of body. ANS provides physiological adaptive background for these changes. The main aim of this study is to carry out autonomic function tests during various phases of menstrual cycle. Method: Different Methods were used to evaluate sympathetic and Parasympathetic activity. This study was carried out in two different phases of menstrual cycle viz. premenstrual phase (late luteal phase-LL) and post menstrual phase (early follicular phase –EF). Results: The autonomic function tests and heart rate variables were recorded and data was tabulated for Statistical evaluation with student paired “t” test. P 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The tests for sympathetic activity were compared during pre and post menstrual phases. It was observed that pulse rate, blood pressure and cold pressor test were statistically more significant (p<0.01), while orthostatic variation in arterial blood pressure was statistically significant (p<0.05) in premenstrual phase as compared to post menstrual phase of menstrual cycle. For parasympathetic activity it was observed that heart rate response, expiratory inspiratory ratio and valsalva ratio were statistically not significant (p>0.05) in both pre and post menstrual phases of menstrual cycle. Conclusion: In this study the responses to various sympathetic tests were significantly altered in premenstrual phase as compare to that of postmenstrual phase, reflecting the significant increase in the sympathetic activity. These changes may be due to gonadal steroids imbalance during post menstrual phase (EF) and premenstrual phase (LL) of menstrual cycle which in turn affects HPA axis and ANS significantly. Significant increased sympathetic activity responses indicate an augmented stress system.