The combined oral contraceptive pill and the assumed 28-day cycle.
Some studies involving women taking the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) have on occasion assumed the COCP group to have a rigid 28-day pharmaceutically driven cycle. Anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise, with many women adjusting their COCP usage to alter the time between break-through bleeds for sporting and social reasons. A prospective field study involving 533 scuba diving females allowed all menstrual cycle lengths (COCP and non-COCP) to be observed for up to three consecutive years (St Leger Dowse et al. 2006). A total of 29% of women were COCP users who reported 3,241 cycles. Of these cycles, only 42% had a rigid 28-day cycle, with the remainder varying in length from 21 to 60 days. When performing studies involving the menstrual cycle, it should not be assumed that COCP users have a rigid confirmed 28-day cycle and careful consideration should be given to data collection and analysis. The effects of differing data interpretations are shown.
Dowse
M St Leger
MS
Diving Diseases Research Centre, Plymouth, UK. marguerite@mstld.co.uk
Gunby
A
A
Moncad
R
R
Fife
C
C
Smerdon
G
G
Bryson
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D004242:Diving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined