A Novel method for quantifying fluctuations in wearable derived daily cardiovascular parameters across the menstrual...

Currently, knowledge of changes in cardiovascular function across the menstrual cycle and how these changes may inform upon underlying health is limited. Utilizing wrist-worn biometric data we developed a novel measure to quantify and investigate the cardiovascular fluctuation (i.e. cardiovascular amplitude) within resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (RMSSD) across 11,590 participants and 45,811 menstrual cycles. Within participants, RHR and RMSSD fluctuated in a regular pattern throughout the menstrual cycle, with population RHR_min and RMSSD_max at cycle day 5, RHR_max at day 26, and RMSSD_min at day 27. Cardiovascular amplitude was attenuated (p < 0.05) in older participants and participants using birth control, suggesting the novel metric may mirror differences in hormonal fluctuations in these cohorts. Longitudinal tracking of cardiovascular amplitude may offer accessible non-invasive monitoring of female physiology and underlying health across the menstrual cycle.