Frequency variation of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions during a naturally occurring menstrual cycle, amenorrhea, and oral contraception: a brief report.
OBJECTIVE
The frequencies of one subject's spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) were tracked intermittently for 295 days.


METHODS
The first 40 days encompassed a normal menstrual cycle. During the next 186 days, the subject exhibited amenorrhea. For the last 69 days, she took oral contraceptives prescribed by her doctor to reestablish menstrual function.


RESULTS
Anovulation, as evidenced by amenorrhea or induced by oral contraception, reduced the fluctuation of SOAE frequencies relative to the naturally occurring menstrual cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
Future research might fruitfully be aimed at monitoring SOAE frequencies in humans and animals to determine whether the fluctuations can provide a noninvasive measure of the functioning of the pituitary-gonadal axis.
Psychology Department, University of Maryland at College Park, USA.
M J
MJ
Penner
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea; D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral