Nasal mucociliary function during the menstrual cycle in healthy women

Nasal mucociliary transport time was studied in nine healthy women over the menstrual cycle using the vegetable charcoal powder technique. Three measurements were made at different points of the cycle: during the early follicular phase, periovulatory phase and luteal phase. The mean transport times were 10.1 +/- 3.50, 5.1 +/- 2.08 and 7.5 +/- 3.28 minutes, respectively. Transit was significantly accelerated during the periovulatory phase (p less than 0.01), when the seric estrogens are at their highest level.