Response to short-duration signals pre- and postmenses in subjects using oral contraceptives and subjects not using oral contraceptives.

The effect of the menstrual cycle on auditory response was studied in 9 subjects who used oral contraceptives (OCs) and 7 who did not. The women were subject to threshold changes of 1 and 4 kHz for signal durations of 500 20 and 2 msec. No significant (p great than .05) difference could be established between the thresholds of 1 and 4 kHz during any period over the 3 test times. Nonetheless a significant (p less than .05) 2nd-degree trend was found at 1 kHz with the 20-msec stimulus. Subjects taking OCs were significantly (p less than .05) more sensitive to a 4 kHz signal emitted for a 2-msec duration than nonusers.