Relationship between Menstrual Pain Intensity and Common Femoral Artery Hemodynamics across the Menstrual Cycle in Young Women

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the differences in lower-limb hemodynamics during the menstrual cycle between young women with varying menstrual pain intensities. Methods: Twenty-two young women with regular menstrual cycles were allocated to a high-pain group (HP group) and a low-pain group (LP group) based on menstrual pain intensity assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS). Hemodynamic parameters in the common femoral artery (CFA), including vessel diameter (Di), mean blood flow velocity, cross-sectional area (Area), blood flow (BF), pulsatility index, and resistance index, were measured during the menstrual, follicular, and luteal phases. Results: During the menstrual phase, the VAS scores were significantly higher in the HP group. During the menstrual and luteal phases, the HP group showed significantly lower Di, Area, and BF values than did the LP group, whereas no significant between-group differences were observed during the follicular phase. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that women experiencing severe menstrual pain exhibit lower hemodynamic values in the CFA during the menstrual and luteal phases. Further development of individualized pain-relief approaches tailored to menstrual pain severity is essential.