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Variability in the phases of the menstrual cycle

Fehring RJ et al., 2006

Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN, 35(3), 376-384

DOI 10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00051.x PMID 16700687 Source

Abstract

Objective

To determine variability in the phases of the menstrual cycle among healthy, regularly cycling women.

Design

A prospective descriptive study of a new data set with biological markers to estimate parameters of the menstrual cycles.

Participants

One hundred forty one healthy women (mean age 29 years) who monitored 3 to 13 menstrual cycles with an electronic fertility monitor and produced 1,060 usable cycles of data. MEASURES AND

Outcomes

Variability in the length of the menstrual cycle and of the follicular, fertile, and luteal phases, and menses. The estimated day of ovulation and end of the fertile phase was the peak fertility reading on the monitor (i.e., the urinary luteinizing hormone surge).

Results

Mean total length was 28.9 days (SD = 3.4) with 95% of the cycles between 22 and 36 days. Intracycle variability of greater than 7 days was observed in 42.5% of the women. Ninety-five percent of the cycles had all 6 days of fertile phase between days 4 and 23, but only 25% of participants had all days of the fertile phase between days 10 and 17.

Conclusions

Among regularly cycling women, there is considerable normal variability in the phases of the menstrual cycle. The follicular phase contributes most to this variability.

Topics

Menstrual Cycle > Physiology > Hormonal RegulationMenstrual Cycle > Biomarkers > UrinaryRRM Methods > Marquette > EffectivenessMenstrual Cycle > Cycle Charting > Methods
menstrual cycle variability fertile window, follicular phase length variation, luteal phase variability normal cycles, urinary lh surge ovulation detection, electronic fertility monitor cycle charting, menstrual cycle phase duration norms, fertile phase timing prediction, ovulation day estimation methods, cycle length variation regularly cycling women, fertility awareness biomarker monitoring, menstrual cycle patterns healthy women, intracycle variability fertile days

Cite this article

Fehring, R. J., Schneider, M., & Raviele, K. (2006). Variability in the phases of the menstrual cycle. *Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN*, *35*(3), 376-384. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2006.00051.x

Keywords

Adult, Female, Fertile Period, Follicular Phase, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Luteal Phase, Menstrual Cycle, Menstruation, Ovulation, Ovulation Detection, Prospective Studies, Reference Values, Women's Health

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