Fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin concentrations of healthy women before and after menstruation

Abstract

Menstruation is associated with loss of blood monthly in women of reproductive age. In some women this physiological phenomenon is also associated with some complaints such as menstrual pain, vomiting, and tiredness. We investigated the fasting blood glucose concentration and hemoglobin concentration before and soon after menstruation in fifty women aged 18 to 38 years after obtaining their informed consent. Fasting blood glucose concentration was determined using the glucose oxidase enzymatic method. Hemoglobin concentration was assessed using the non-dilution photometric technique. The mean post-menstrual fasting blood glucose of the women (3.58 ± 0.66mmol/l) was found to be significantly (p<0.05) less than their mean pre-menstrual fasting blood glucose (4.61 ± 0.89mmol/L). Both values were however within the normal range for our environment (3.60-5.80mmol/L). The mean post- menstrual hemoglobin concentration of the women was 11.16 ± 1.12g/dl. This value is lower than normal and it is significantly (p<0.05) less than the means pre-menstrual hemoglobin concentration (12.87 ± 0.99) of the women who participated in the study.

Key words: Menstruation, young women, hemoglobin, blood glucose.