Systemic inflammation and menstrual cycle length in a prospective cohort study

Local inflammation plays an important role in normal folliculogenesis and ovulation, and conditions of chronic systemic inflammation, such as obesity and polycystic ovarian syndrome, can disrupt normal follicular dynamics.

This study aimed to determine the association between systemic inflammation, as measured by C-reactive protein levels, and menstrual cycle length.

This study was a secondary analysis using data from Time to Conceive, a prospective time-to-pregnancy cohort study. The association between cycle length and C-reactive protein was analyzed using multivariable linear mixed and marginal models adjusted for age, race, education, body mass index, time since oral contraceptive use, alcohol, smoking, caffeine consumption, and exercise. Time to Conceive enrolled women aged 30 to 44 years with no history of infertility who were attempting to conceive for <3 months. Serum C-reactive protein levels were measured on cycle day 2, 3, or 4. Participants recorded daily menstrual cycle data for ≤4 months.

Main outcome measures included menstrual cycle length and follicular and luteal phase lengths. Multivariable analysis included 1409 cycles from 414 women. There was no linear association between C-reactive protein levels and menstrual cycle length. However, compared with <1 mg/L, a C-reactive protein level >10 mg/L was associated with >3 times the odds (adjusted odds ratio, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.67-8.11) of long cycles (defined as ≥35 days). When evaluating follicular phase length, a C-reactive protein level of >10 mg/L was associated both with follicular phases that were 1.7 (95% confidence interval, 0.23-3.09) days longer and with >2 times the odds of a long follicular phase (adjusted odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-4.74).

There is a potential pathophysiological association between systemic inflammation and menstrual cycle changes. Further studies are needed to determine if systemic inflammation alters the menstrual cycle or if long menstrual cycles are a marker for elevated systemic inflammation.