A study on body mass index and menstrual cycle length in reproductive age women

Authors

  • Shilpi Vashishta Department of Physiology, Chirayu Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
  • Sushila Gahlot Department of Physiology, Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20220121

Keywords:

Menstrual cycle length, Body mass index, Reproductive age women

Abstract

Background: Menstrual cycle length is an indicator of reproductive health of a woman. Duration of menstrual cycle in a woman is affected by a number of factors including BMI. The effect of BMI on menstrual cycle length has been studied less extensively. Not many studies have been conducted on Indian populations. This study was conducted to study the relation of body mass index and menstrual cycle length in reproductive age women.

Methods: The study included 225 women of age 15-45 years. Women with average menstrual cycle length of 24-38 were regarded as regularly menstruating women. Menstrual cycle length was defined as short (<24 days), normal (24-38 days), long (>38 days). During the menstrual phase of the cycle BMI of each participant was recorded.

Results: A significant (p=0.0008) increase in mean BMI was found with increased in length of menstrual cycle. The majority of the women with long menstrual cycle were obese compared to women having normal and short length of menstrual cycle.

Conclusions: The results of present study indicates that women with long menstrual cycle have increased body mass index compared to women having normal or short menstrual cycle length. 

Author Biographies

Shilpi Vashishta, Department of Physiology, Chirayu Medical College and Hospital, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Assistant Professor, Department Of Physiology, Chirayu medical College, Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh

Sushila Gahlot, Department of Physiology, Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India

Ex-Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Rajpura, Patiala, Punjab.

References

Barrett KE, Barman SM, Boitano S, Brooks HL eds. Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology,23rdedn, United States of America, Mc-Graw Hill. 2010:430-6.

Stricker R, Eberhart R, Chevailler MC, Quinn FA, Bischof P, Stricker R. Establishment of detailed reference values for luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, and progesterone during different phases of the menstrual cycle on the abbott architect analyzer. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 2006;44(7):883-7.

Bijlani RL, Manjunatha S. Understanding Medical Physiology. 3rdedn, New Delhi: Jaypee brothers medical publishers. 2011;555-83.

Homan GF, Davies M, Norman R. The impact of lifestyle factors on reproductive performance in the general population and those undergoing infertility treatment: a review. Human Reproduction Update. 2007;13(3):209-23.

Lovejoy JC. The influence of sex hormones on obesity across the female life span. J Womens Health. 1998;7(10):1247-56.

Speroff L, ‎Fritz MA. Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility. Philadelphia, USA: Williams & Wilkins. 2011:590-604.

WHO expert consultation. Appropriate body-mass index for Asian populations and its implications for policy and intervention strategies. Lancet. 2004;363:157-63.

Solomon CG, Hu FB, Dunaif A, Rich-Edwards J, Willett WC, Hunter DJ et al. Long or highly irregular menstrual cycles as a marker for risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Journal of American Medical Association. 2001;286(19):2421-6.

Solomon CG, Hu FB, Dunaif A, Rich-Edwards JE, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC et al. Menstrual cycle irregularity and risk for future cardiovascular disease. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2002;87(5):2013-7.

Soliman PT, Oh JC, Schmeler KM, Sun CC, Slomovitz BM, Gershenson DM, Burke TW et al. Risk factors for young premenopausal women with endometrial cancer. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2005;105(3):575-80.

Nicodemus KK, Folsom AR, Anderson KE. Menstrual History and Risk of Hip Fractures in Postmenopausal Women The Iowa Women's Health Study. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2001;153(3):251-5.

Karlson EW, Mandl LA, Hankinson SE, Grodstein F. Do breast-feeding and other reproductive factors influence future risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Results from the Nurses' Health Study’. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2004;50(11):3458-67.

Rowland AS, Baird DD, Long S, Wegienka G, Harlow SD, Alavanja M et al. Influence of medical conditions and lifestyle factors on the menstrual cycle. Epidemiology. 2002;13(6):668-74.

Mumford SL, Steiner AZ, Pollack AZ, Perkins NJ, Filiberto AC, Albert PS et al. The utility of menstrual cycle length as an indicator of cumulative hormonal exposure. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism. 2012;97(10):E1871-9.

Clancy KBH, Baerwald AR, Pierson RA. Systemic Inflammation Is Associated with Ovarian Follicular Dynamics during the Human Menstrual Cycle. PLoS one. 2013;8(5):1-8.

Rubba F, Mattiello A, Chiodini P, Celentano E, Galasso R, Ciardullo AV et al. Menstrual cycle length, serum lipids and lipoproteins in a cohort of Italian Mediterranean women: Findings from Progetto ATENA. Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases. 2008;18(10):659-63.

Harlow SD, Matanoski GM. The association between weight, physical activity, and stress and variation in the length of the menstrual cycle. American Journal of Epidemiology. 1991;133(1):38-49.

Matthews KA, Santoro N, Lasley B, Chang Y, Crawford S, Pasternak RC et al. Relation of cardiovascular risk factors in women approaching menopause to menstrual cycle characteristics and reproductive hormones in the follicular and luteal phases. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;91(5):1789-95.

Yamamoto K, Okazaki A, Sakamoto Y, Funatsu M. The relationship between premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress, among japanese college students. Journal of Physiological Anthropology. 2009;28(3):129-36.

Williams SR. Menstrual cycle characteristics and predictability of ovulation of Bhutia women in Sikkim, India. Journal of Physiological Anthropology. 2006;25(1):85-90.

Symons JP, Sowers MF, Harlow SD. Relationship of body composition measures and menstrual cycle length. Annals of Human Biology. 1997;24(2):7-16.

Yan Liu, Ellen B, Bill L, Lasley, Wesley O. Johnson. Factors Affecting Menstrual Cycle Characteristics. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2004;160(2):131-40.

Grieger JA, Norman RJ. Menstrual Cycle Length and Patterns in a Global Cohort of Women Using a Mobile Phone App: Retrospective Cohort Study. J Med Internet Res. 2020;24;22(6):e17109.

Downloads

Published

2022-01-25

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles