Susceptibility to Nausea and Motion Sickness as a Function of the Menstrual Cycle

Purpose: The present study examined whether susceptibility to nausea and other symptoms of vection-induced motion sickness vary as a function of phase of the menstrual cycle, as research findings in this area are sparse and contradictory. Design: Ninety young women (42 current users of oral contraceptives) were exposed to a rotating optokinetic drum during the peri-menses or peri-ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle in an independent-groups, quasi-experimental design. Nausea and motion sickness symptoms were assessed using the Nausea Profile (NP) and the Subjective Symptoms of Motion Sickness (SSMS) questionnaire. Results: Among women not on oral contraceptives, reports of nausea and motion sickness by women in the peri-menses phase were more severe than reports by women in the peri-ovulatory phase. By contrast, among women taking oral contraceptives, reports of nausea and motion sickness did not differ by the same categorical phase of the menstrual cycle. Conclusions: We speculate that fluctuating estrogen levels over the course of the menstrual cycle may influence the experience of or susceptibility to nausea and motion sickness during illusory self-motion and other nauseogenic contexts.