A case-study on the effects of the menstrual cycle and the use of a combined oral contraceptive pill on the performance of a western classical singer: an objective and subjective overview

This article reports the results of a case study on the effects of the menstrual cycle and the use of a third generation oral contraceptive pill (OCP) on the pattern of vibration of the vocal folds of a young classical female singer when singing a Lied by Schumann, Widmung. The electrolaryngraphically derived closed phase quotient (CQ) was used as a measure of vocal control across the menstrual cycle for both OCP and placebo use. This was a double blind randomised placebo controlled trial. Neither the researchers nor the participants were aware of which arm of the study would come first. A total of six audio-recordings and six blood samples were performed at three specific stages of the menstrual cycle, for both OCP and placebo use: at menstruation, and during follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Results indicate that the use of a third generation OCP diminishes differences between the distributions of closed quotient across the menstrual cycle by dampening fluctuations of steroid hormones. It seems that the singer was able to improve vocal control across the menstrual cycle when she was using an OCP with antimeneralocorticoid and antiandrogenic properties.