INVESTIGATING CORTISOL CONCENTRATION DURING THE LUTEAL AND MENSTRUAL PHASES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IN A POPULATION OF YOUNG FEMALES

ABSTRACT

The menstrual cycle refers to the monthly series of hormone driven changes that occur in a woman's reproductive system in preparation for a possible pregnancy. Menstrual cycle phases involve significant changes in hormone levels, causing physical and psychological changes that are further influenced by stress. Cortisol is a steroid hormone released in response to stress as well as low blood glucose concentration. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma cortisol concentration of female adults in their reproductive stages of life, during their luteal and menstrual phases. A total of 50 apparently healthy female subjects (100 samples) were included in this longitudinal study with age range between 18 and 30. Subjects on alcohol, contraceptive pills, lactating women, sufferers from diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular abnormalities, Dysmenorrhoea, Oligomenorrhoea and Polymenorrhoea were excluded from the study. The subjects were asked to complete a standardized socio-demographic, medical and gynecological health questionnaire, and different phases of the menstrual cycle were determined by the detailed menstrual history. Five (5) mls of blood were drawn by venipuncture after informed consent on the 3rd day of menstruation and between the 18th and 26th day of cycle (Luteal Phase). All samples were collected from the cubital fossa's intravenous blood under standard phlebotomy guidelines. Five (5.0) mls were dispensed into Lithium heparin containers and subjected to centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 15 min and the resulting plasma was separated into plain bottles and kept frozen at -20 °C for chemical pathological analysis. The results showed a significant decrease in plasma cortisol concentration during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle compared with the menstrual phase. The significant difference in plasma cortisol levels during the luteal and menstrual phases could be due to the effects of allopregnanolone, a progesterone derivative and prostaglandins released during menstruation.