Doppler Ultrasound Assessment of Blood Flow Indices in Childbearing Age Women Across the Menstrual Cycle.

This study investigates the effects of hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive (OCP) cycles on peripheral vascular circulation in the lower limbs of healthy childbearing-age women across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Fourteen eumenorrheic non-oral contraceptive (non-OCP) users (mean age 28.9 ± 3.5 years; height 165.0 ± 5.8 cm; weight 66.8 ± 11.2 kg) were evaluated during the follicular and ovulatory phases. Fifteen monophasic oral contraceptive (OCP) users (mean age 26.4 ± 2.67 years; height 162.3 ± 8.1 cm; weight 62.0 ± 9.8 kg) were assessed during their placebo and active pill phases. Doppler recordings of the femoral and popliteal arteries were obtained, and standard Doppler indices (systolic/diastolic ratio, pulsatility index, and resistance index) were analyzed across the menstrual and OCP cycles. There were no significant interactions in the standard Doppler indices for the popliteal and femoral arteries between the menstrual phases and user groups ( > 0.05). Additionally, no significant group effects were observed between non-OCP users and OCP users, nor were there significant phase effects in any of the Doppler index variables ( > 0.05). Peripheral vascular function remained stable across menstrual and OCP phases, suggesting minimal impact of hormonal fluctuations on blood flow characteristics in young, healthy females.