Background: Changes in the levels of female sex hormones during the menstrual cycle are known to affect the coagulation cascade by producing parallel changes in the prothrombotic tendency and the fibrinolytic activity of healthy women.
Aims and Objectives: The aims of the study was to access the changes in bleeding time (BT) and clotting time (CT) during different phases of menstruation.
Materials and Methods: Study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, TMMC and RC over a period of 1 year. A group of 40 females between the age group of 1825 years having normal menstrual cycle were selected. Females with hormonal disorders, taking hormonal medication having hematological, gynecological or any chronic disorder were excluded. There BT and CT were accessed in four phases of menstrual cycle, i.e., menstrual phase, proliferative phase, ovulatory phase, and secretory phase. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: The mean BT shows a significant difference (P = 0.001). BT was least around the Ovulatory Phase or mid-cycle, and it increases during secretory phase. CT was least around ovulatory or mid-cycle, and it increases during secretory phase. However, the difference of CT in different phases was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The present study indicates that primary and secondary hemostatic mechanism activities are higher in the follicular and ovulatory phase than remaining phases. Hence, optimal hemostatic testing time must be done in menstrual and early follicular phase.
Key words: Bleeding Time; Clotting Time; Menstrual Phase; Ovulatory Phase; Proliferative Phase; Secretory Phase
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