CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE OF YOUNG FEMALE ADULTS

ABSTRACT

The menstrual cycle is a complex physiological phenomenon influenced by hormonal changes, which affects various bodily systems and in turn makes women undergo a number of changes both systemic and ocular. For the number of risks the dynamic shift in estrogen and progesterone levels possess, research in this area are overwhelming as the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and blood pressure (BP) and the menstrual cycle remains controversial at best. This study aimed to investigate the effect of menstrual cycle on BP and IOP in young female adults. A total of forty-one (41) healthy young females between 18-25 years of age with a mean age of 22.46 ± 2.49 years who met the inclusion criteria participated in this study. The results of this study showed that participants had a mean follicular IOP of 15.07 ± 2.28mmHg. They also had a mean follicular BP of 113.9/72.0mmHg. A mean luteal IOP of 15.24 ± 1.87mmHg was seen, as well as a mean BP of 116.4/73.9mmHg. At ovulation, the participants had a mean IOP of 14.51 ± 2.05 and a mean BP of 119.4/77.2mmHg. There was no statistically significant difference in IOPs at different phases of the menstrual cycle (p> 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between systolic blood pressures (SBPs) and diastolic blood pressures (DBPs) increase at the different phases of the menstrual cycle (p< 0.05). There was no significant correlation between the changes in IOP and BP at the different phase of the menstrual cycle (SBP: r = 0.215, p< 0.05; DBP: r = -0.120, p> 0.455). . This study recommends that healthcare professionals should educate and encourage young female adults to monitor their blood pressure regularly throughout the menstrual cycle.In conclusion, this study showed that BP significantly increased at different phase of menstrual cycle. Also, IOP did not change at different phases of the menstrual cycle among female adults. In addition, the variations in IOP does not relate with the variations in BP at different menstrual phases Keywords: menstrual cycle, hormonal fluctuations, estrogen, progesterone, blood pressure, intraocular pressure.