What are the effects of menstruation during physical examination

Menstruation during physical examination may affect the results of some examination items, but most routine examination items can still be performed normally. During menstruation, the hormone levels in women's bodies fluctuate greatly, which may interfere with the accuracy of blood tests, urine tests, and other results. In blood tests, the red blood cell count and hemoglobin in the blood routine may be low due to menstrual bleeding, and coagulation function related indicators such as platelet count may also experience physiological fluctuations. The six hormone tests should be avoided during menstruation, as indicators such as follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone show significant differences at different stages of the menstrual cycle. Urine examination may result in false positive occult blood due to the mixing of menstrual blood. It is recommended to avoid menstruation or use catheterization for sampling. gynecological examination should be conducted 3-7 days after the end of menstruation, as an open cervix during menstruation can increase the risk of infection. Imaging examinations such as mammography and abdominal ultrasound are usually not affected, but pelvic ultrasound may interfere with endometrial observation due to menstrual blood.

Some special examinations, such as tumor marker CA125, may physiologically increase during menstruation, and glucose tolerance testing is recommended to avoid menstruation. Invasive procedures such as hysteroscopy and hysterosalpingography should be strictly avoided during menstruation. Bone density testing may be affected by fluctuations in estrogen levels, which may affect the interpretation of results. Elevated body temperature during menstruation may interfere with basal metabolic rate measurements. Some immunological tests, such as anti nuclear antibody testing, may produce false positives due to hormonal changes.

It is recommended that women adjust their time according to the physical examination items, and non emergency physical examinations can avoid menstruation. When a physical examination is necessary, the doctor can be informed in advance of the menstrual condition, and the doctor will decide whether to adjust the examination sequence based on the importance of the items. Special attention should be paid to perineal hygiene during menstrual check ups to avoid vigorous exercise affecting blood pressure measurement. Maintain sufficient sleep before the physical examination to avoid excessive dieting that can lead to abnormal blood sugar levels. If abnormal indicators need to be rechecked, it is recommended to retest 3-5 days after the end of menstruation.