Survey study, 1990
Are women more likely to die at certain times in their menstrual cycle?
No. Deaths from all causes were spread evenly across all phases of the menstrual cycle, with no clear pattern.
What they did
Researchers examined 171 women who died and were autopsied between 1982 and 1989. They determined what phase of the menstrual cycle each woman was in by examining tissue samples. Deaths were grouped by cause: natural causes, accidental deaths, suicides, and homicides.
What they found
Deaths from all causes combined, and within each cause group, showed no clear pattern by menstrual cycle phase. Deaths were distributed evenly across menstrual, proliferative, early secretory, and mid or late secretory phases.
What it means for you
There is no evidence that menstrual cycle phase affects risk of death. The main limitation is that determining menstrual cycle phase after death using tissue examination is not precise.
171
women examined
4
menstrual cycle phases
1982-1989
years of data
About the study
- Original title
- Deaths in women of reproductive age and relationship with menstrual cycle phase. An autopsy study of cases reported to the coroner
- Authors
- Vanezis P
- Journal
- Forensic science international
- Year
- 1990
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 257
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0379-0738(90)90284-6
Topics
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