Tobacco withdrawal in women and menstrual cycle phase

Because negative mood is a characteristic of both tobacco withdrawal and me nstrual discomfort, withdrawal may vary by menstrual cycle phase. Tobacco w ithdrawal, mood, and menstrual discomfort were assessed in premenopausal wo men who quit smoking during either the follicular (Days 1-14 postmenstrual onset; n = 41) or luteal (Day 15 or longer postmenstrual onset; n = 37) pha se of the menstrual cycle and maintained biochemically verified smoking abs tinence during the postquit week. Women quitting during the luteal phase re ported significantly greater increases in tobacco withdrawal and self-repor ted depressive symptoms than women quitting during the follicular phase. Th ese results indicate that selecting a quit-smoking day early in the follicu lar phase may attenuate withdrawal and negative affect in premenopausal fem ale smokers.