Normative Values of Voice Analysis Parameters With Respect to Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Adult Turkish Women

Objective/Hypothesis. Objective measurements are quite important for assessment of voice disorders. The first aim of this study was to establish a prototype database of normative values of voice analysis parameters in healthy Turkish adult female population. The second aim was to evaluate the variations of these parameters during physiological menstrual cycle. Study Design. This is a prospective, single-blind study. Methods. Eighty-nine healthy women (mean age, 31.5 +/- 6.0 years) with normal physical findings and without vocal abuse or dysphonia were participated. Detailed physical and videostroboscopic larynx examination was done. Participants' voice samples of sustained /a/ and /i/ vowels were recorded, and voice analysis was done. GRBAS scale was done by four otolaryngologists, and subjects were asked to score their own voice quality using Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) at the premenstruation, during menstruation, and postmenstruation periods. Results. Eighty-nine healthy Turkish women's some normative acoustic vocal parameters of three different phases of menstrual cycle were reported. The data indicated that during the premenstruation period; the mean jitter %, shimmer% and noise-to-harmonic ratio values were significantly higher than that of other two periods. Variations of computerized acoustic vocal analysis parameters through menstruation cycle were in concordance with the perceptual voice assessment (GRBAS) and the questionnaire of subjects' perception of their own voices (VHI-10). Conclusions. In this study the normative values of voice analysis parameters of healthy adult Turkish women was reported. Adding computerized voice analysis parameters may improve the assessment and screening of voice in routine clinical practice because this is a simple and reliable method. Evaluation of voice can be performed regardless of the phases of menstrual cycle, but not performing acoustic analysis during the premenstrual period may prevent some of the unintended errors.