RESUMEN
PIP: An investigation was undertaken to study the cholesterol content of menstrual discharge and to establish its relationship to the cyclic acti vities of the endometrium. The effects that an oral contraceptive and IUD might have on cholesterol concentration in menstrual discharge and blood serum were also investigated. A total of 38 subjects were used. 9 were taking the oral contraceptive, Ortho-Novum; 4 were fitted with an IUD; and the remaining 25 were used as controls. Blood and menstrual discharges were collected and tested. Blood serum levels for all groups were constant during the menstrual cycle. It was found that the concentrations of cholesterol in the menstrual discharge samples of each group were significantly lower than the corresponding values in blood serum. The cholesterol levels in the menstrual discharge of the control and IUD groups were in the same narrow range and did not vary with the day of the cycle. The values for the oral contraceptives users also did not vary significantly with the day of the cycle, but they were signific antly lower than for levels obtained for the other 2 groups. The total excretion rate of cholesterol was highest for the IUD group, while the oral contraceptive users showed a significantly lowered rate of excretion than either the control or IUD group. The high excretion pattern shown by the IUD group is a reflection of these women's heavier flow.^ieng