EVALUATION OF PACKED CELL VOLUME, MEAN CELL HAEMOGLOBIN AND PROGESTERONE LEVELS DURING MENSTRUATION AMONG FEMALE MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE STUDENTS OF IMO STATE UNIVERSITY OWERRI, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Background: Menstruation is a cyclical physiological process governed by hormonal fluctuations, particularly estrogen and progesterone, which may influence hematological parameters. Recognizing these variations is important for accurate clinical interpretations of blood test results in reproductive-aged women. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the changes in packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and serum progesterone across different menstrual phases among female Medical Laboratory Science students of Imo State University, Owerri. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out among 30 healthy female students aged 18 to 28 years with regular menstrual cycles. Blood samples were collected at three points within the same cycle: during menstruation (days 1–3), follicular phase (days 7–10), and luteal phase (days 21–24). PCV and MCH were measured using an automated hematology analyzer, and serum progesterone levels were determined using ELISA. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation. Results: PCV showed no statistically significant variation across menstrual phases (p > 0.05). MCH was significantly lower during menstruation (22.80 ± 0.99 pg) compared to the follicular (28.13 ± 1.33 pg) and luteal phases (29.47 ± 1.31 pg) (p <0.0001). Progesterone levels were significantly elevated in the luteal phase (14.43 ± 5.08 ng/ml) compared to the menstruation (0.48 ± 0.18 ng/ml) and follicular phases (0.62 ± 0.23 ng/ml) (p = 0.011 and p < 0.001). A positive correlation was observed between progesterone and PCV during menstruation (r = 0.45, p = 0.011).