When Aunt Flo Brings Extra Baggage: The Menstrual Cycle’s Link to Sickle Cell Flare-Ups

    A significant connection between the menstrual cycle and an increase in pain episodes in women with sickle cell disease (SCD) is clarified by new research from the University of Pennsylvania. The study, which was published in Blood Vessels, Thrombosis & Hemostasis, shows that in women with sickle cell disease (SCD), levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a measure of inflammation, sharply increase during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Painful vaso-occlusive events (VOEs) are more common in these individuals during this phase, which takes place in the early half of the cycle. ​

    The results imply that changes in hormones during the menstrual cycle worsen inflammation, which raises the risk of VOEs. This realization creates opportunities for focused interventions. Hormonal contraceptives that control or suppress menstruation, for example, may lessen these uncomfortable episodes. The authors of the study warn that larger, prospective research is required to confirm these results and investigate efficient management techniques.

    While previous studies have noted a temporal association between menstruation and VOEs, this research is pioneering in identifying a biological mechanism—elevated CRP levels—that may underpin this relationship .​