Impact of Menstrual Blood Loss and Oral Contraceptive Use on Oxygen-carrying Capacity

Purpose The effect of menstrual blood loss on oxygen-carrying capacity remains equivocal. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of menstrual blood loss on hemoglobin mass in young, healthy women. Methods Twenty-one women (age, 23 ± 6 yr; height, 168 ± 7 cm; weight, 66.1 ± 12.6 kg) with regular menstrual cycles, either using ( n = 10) or not using oral contraceptives, participated in the study. Hemoglobin mass was assessed using...