Study, 1989
Does smoking change at different times of the menstrual cycle?
Yes. Most of the women in this study increased their smoking during the menstrual phase compared to other times of their cycle.
What they did
Female cigarette smokers participated in daily two-hour sessions for at least two consecutive menstrual cycles. Every cigarette puff and the time spent smoking was automatically measured. The researchers compared smoking between the menstrual phase and premenstrual phase versus the rest of the cycle.
What they found
Most of the women increased how many cigarette puffs they took per session and the amount of time spent smoking during the menstrual phase.
What it means for you
Smoking behavior may increase at certain times of the menstrual cycle. However, the exact number of women in this study was not reported, so we don't know how widespread this pattern is.
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle and cigarette smoking behavior
- Authors
- Steinberg JL, Cherek DR
- Journal
- Addictive behaviors
- Year
- 1989
- Study design
- Study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0306-4603(89)90045-2