Analysis of HRV during the Menstrual Cycle and Postmenopause

Background

Various studies have investigated the effects of menstrual cycle on HRV using linear methods of HRV. Mckinley et al. (2009), Sato et al. (1995), Saeki et al. (1997), Guasti et al. (1999), Yildirir et al. (2002) and Ghildiyal et al. (2011) reported that sympathetic activities were lower in the follicular phase in comparison with the luteal phase. The increase in LF/HF ratio in the luteal phase as compared to the follicular phase was also reported by Sheema et al. (2014). Baker et al. (2008) analyzed that parasympathetic activity was decreased in the late luteal phase of women with premenstrual symptoms as compared to the follicular phase. Ageing effects on HRV in the menstrual cycle was also demonstrated by Bindiya et al. (2011). Some studies such as Nakagawa et al. (2006) and Vishrutha et al. (2012) reported that time domain methods were not able to differentiate the HRV variations between different phases of the menstrual cycle.