ReviewPsychoneuroendocrinology2021
How to study the menstrual cycle: Practical tools and recommendations.
Review in Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 183 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
183 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Emotion regulation in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Premenstrual Syndrome: a systematic review.BMC psychology · 2025Pooled it
- A scoping review of hormonal clinical trials in menstrual cycle-related brain disorders: Studies in premenstrual mood disorder, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy.Frontiers in neuroendocrinology · 2023Pooled it
- Premenstrual exacerbation of mental health disorders: a systematic review of prospective studies.Archives of women's mental health · 2022Pooled it
- Menstrual Cycle Phase, Hormonal Contraception, and Alcohol Consumption in Premenopausal Females: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in global women's health · 2021Pooled it
- Open TSST VR: Psychobiological reactions to an open version of the Trier Social Stress Test in virtual reality.Behavior research methods · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Polarized running training adapted to versus contrary to the menstrual cycle phases has similar effects on endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters.European journal of applied physiology · 2024Trial
- Effects of estrogen and progesterone on neuroactive steroids and cytokines in patients with suicidality.Psychoneuroendocrinology · 2023Trial
- A dense-sampling investigation of interoceptive variation across the menstrual cycle: the Cyclic Hormones and Interoception with Repeated Profiling (CHIRP) Study.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026Article
- Methodological Considerations for Studies in Sport and Exercise Science with Women as Participants Part II: Guidance for Applied Studies in Elite Female Athletes.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2026Article
- Menstrual Cycle Informed Psychotherapy: Preliminary Findings in Women with Spider Phobia.Psychotherapy and psychosomatics · 2026Article
- Article
- Effects of Menstrual Cycle on Insulin Sensitivity in Type 1 Diabetes: An Observational Study of Individuals Using an Automated Insulin Delivery System.Diabetes care · 2026Observational
- Daily Ovarian Hormone Exposure and Loss of Control Eating in Adolescent Girls: A Stage 2 Registered Report.The International journal of eating disorders · 2026Article
- Associations Between Different Subtypes of Adverse Childhood Experiences with Reproductive Mood Disorders-a Scoping Review.Current psychiatry reports · 2026Article
- Acute effects of moderate-intensity continuous and high-intensity interval exercise on vascular function.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Different mucosal immunity and hormonal responses to routine physical training in the follicular and the luteal phases of elite female athletes.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- The influence of glucose intake and psychosocial stress on food craving in healthy adults.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2026Article
- Comparative efficacy and safety of oral pharmacological and complementary interventions for premenstrual syndrome: a protocol for a systematic review and a network meta-analysis.Systematic reviews · 2026Article
- The Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MEDI-Q): reliability and validity of the German version.BMC women's health · 2026Article
123 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Despite decades of research on the physiological and psychological effects of the menstrual cycle, studies have not sufficiently adopted consistent methods for operationalizing the menstrual cycle. This has resulted in substantial confusion in the literature and limited possibilities to conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses. In order to facilitate more rapid accumulation of knowledge on cycle effects, the present paper offers a set of integrative guidelines and standardized tools for studying the menstrual cycle as an independent variable. We begin with (1) an overview of the menstrual cycle and (2) premenstrual disorders, followed by (3) recommendations and tools regarding data collection in cycle studies. These recommendations address selecting the appropriate study design and sampling strategy, managing demand characteristics, identifying a sample of naturally-cycling individuals, and measuring menstrual bleeding dates, ovarian hormones, and ovulation. We proceed with suggestions for (4) data preparation and coding of cycle day and phases, as well as (5) data visualization, statistical modeling, and interpretation of menstrual cycle associations. We also provide (6) recommendations for using menses start day and ovulation testing to schedule visits in laboratory studies and end with a (7) comprehensive summary and conclusion. Regardless of whether the influence of the menstrual cycle is of central interest in a study or should be controlled to accurately assess the effects of another variable, the use of these recommendations and tools will help make study results more meaningful and replicable.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.