People have reported menstrual cycle changes after COVID-19 vaccines, but more research is needed to understand if they are related, which women may be affected, and the exact mechanisms for why
NICHD recently awarded five institutions one-year supplemental grants totaling $1.67 million to explore potential links between COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual changes. Researchers at Boston University, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan State University, and Oregon Health and Science University will investigate whether such changes may be linked to the COVID-19 vaccine itself or if they are coincidental, the mechanism underlying any vaccine-related changes, and how long any changes last.
Several of these studies will use blood, tissue, and saliva samples collected before and after vaccination to analyze any immune or hormone changes. Other studies will use established resources — such as large cohort studies and menstrual cycle tracking apps — to collect and analyze data from racially, ethnically, and geographically diverse populations. Two studies will focus on specific populations, including adolescents and people with endometriosis.
What you need to know - Increased stress, changes in weight and exercise, and other major lifestyle changes can affect menstrual cycles — and all of those changes are common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, studies have shown that some women who had COVID-19 experienced changes in the duration and flow of their menstrual cycles. Some people have reported changes in their menstruation after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, including changes in duration, flow, and accompanying symptoms such as pain.
Vulva Health: Why women should take care of this most intimate feminine area
You should take care of your vulva as you would any part of your skin – that means keeping it clean and healthy. How often should you wash this intimate area? Can your sanitary pads or underwear affect vulva health? CNA Women asked doctors to shed light on what we need to know about caring for it
It was titled “What Do You Know About The Female Body?” and had the production team hitting the streets to find out how much men knew about the female anatomy, in particular, the female reproductive system. Naturally, my girlfriends and I laughed when we saw the video because the men interviewed had no clue where or what things were. But at the back of my mind, I wondered how much we, as women, even know about our own anatomy, especially the goings-on down south.
How many of us know the difference between the vagina and the vulva, for instance? Or if it’s an area of the body we should give extra care to (or none at all)? And really, what should we be doing?
Some women observe period changes after Covid-19 jab; effects temporary, vaccines are safe, say gynaecologists
The five women whom TODAY interviewed said that they had observed various changes to their menstruation cycles after receiving their jabs from the national vaccination programme
After Ms Joette Fong took her second Covid-19 vaccination jab in May, she noticed that her next menstruation cycle did not arrive on its scheduled date. “The first thing I thought was that my son had a sibling, or I am going through menopause,” said the 48-year-old pet groomer. Her period eventually arrived two weeks later but continued to be “haywire” in its start dates for the next four months. Ms Fong says that her period usually arrives every 28 to 30 days.
Ms Liang Kaixin, a 37-year-old communications specialist, observed her menstrual blood flow becoming heavier and experienced intermenstrual bleeding after getting her Covid-19 shots in June and July this year. She also experienced irregular cycles in the months after and more severe mood swings than before. Their observations echo reports from around the world of women experiencing menstrual disorders after getting vaccinated.
No concrete research has been conducted yet to establish the link between the two. However, gynaecologists here gave the assurance that the impact of the vaccine on period cycles is mild and transient, and encouraged women not to put off their vaccination.
South Korea adds period disorders to list of reportable Covid-19 vaccine side effects
The first Covid-19 vaccination in South Korea took place on Feb 26, 2021, with AstraZeneca's vaccine. PHOTO: AFP
South Korea will add menstrual disorders to its list of reportable adverse events following Covid-19 vaccination, according to a parliamentary audit report of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency last Thursday (Oct 7). The national health agency said in response to Representative Kang Sun-woo of the National Assembly's health and welfare committee that it would create a separate category for menstrual disorders within its vaccine adverse event reporting system.
But this addition does not mean that the reported post-vaccination menstrual discomfort, delays or disorders are linked to the vaccines, or that they would qualify for government compensation, the agency said in response to press inquiries. The first reports in South Korea about inter-menstrual bleeding after vaccination emerged in March among nurses who received AstraZeneca's vaccine. The matter started gaining attention after a disproportionate rise in reports of menstrual changes as the vaccine roll-out extended to the general public in August. Several petitions calling for investigations into the vaccines' possible impacts on periods have been posted on the presidential website since.
According to the official database, as at Oct 27, there were 712 reports of inter-cycle bleeding after Covid-19 vaccinations. But menstrual irregularities after vaccination may have gone under-reported as until very recently a special process was required to submit a report on any event not included on the list of reportable events following vaccination, according to MBN, the local broadcaster that first covered the issue.
Covid vaccine - Period changes could be a short-term side effect
But women online around the world have started asking if early, heavy or painful periods might be an unlisted reaction to the jab. Dr Kate Clancy, a medical anthropologist, shared on Twitter her experience of an unusually heavy period following the Moderna vaccine, and received dozens of similar accounts in response. With former colleague Dr Katharine Lee, she launched a survey documenting people's experiences.
We don't yet know whether the vaccine is causing these changes - it hasn't been studied. It's possible women post-vaccination were more likely to notice or attribute changes, particularly after hearing about others' experiences. But Dr Victoria Male, a reproductive immunologist at Imperial College London, said some post-menopausal women, and people taking hormones which stop their periods, have reported bleeding. So she's inclined to suspect there may be a physical reaction occurring.
Study to Investigate Impacts of COVID Vaccines on Menstruation
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics is one of five institutions selected to study the impacts of COVID-19 vaccines on menstruation. Credit: Graphic created by M.E. Newman, Johns Hopkins Medicine, using public domain images
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics is one of five institutions selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research to explore the potential impacts of COVID-19 vaccination on menstruation. The five one-year grants, totaling $1.67 million, are funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health. The NIH research grants were established after many women reported irregular menstrual periods and other menstrual changes after getting the COVID-19 vaccines.
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics is one of five institutions selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct research to explore the potential impacts of COVID-19 vaccination on menstruation. The five one-year grants, totaling $1.67 million, are funded by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health. The NIH research grants were established after many women reported irregular menstrual periods and other menstrual changes after getting the COVID-19 vaccines.
“If there’s a relationship between the COVID-19 vaccines and the menstrual changes, we need to know how it happens,” says Borahay. “Therefore, we plan to examine the response of the endometrium to the COVID-19 vaccination at the biological level.” Menstruation, or a period, is part of a woman’s monthly reproductive cycle. Each month, a woman’s uterus prepares for pregnancy and thickens its walls by increasing the levels of two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. But when pregnancy does not occur, the uterus sheds its lining as the blood and mucus making up the menstrual flow that leaves the body through the vagina during the period.
Menstrual changes after covid-19 vaccination
A link is plausible and should be investigated
Common side effects of covid-19 vaccination listed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) include a sore arm, fever, fatigue, and myalgia. Changes to periods and unexpected vaginal bleeding are not listed, but primary care clinicians and those working in reproductive health are increasingly approached by people who have experienced these events shortly after vaccination. More than 30 000 reports of these events had been made to MHRA’s yellow card surveillance scheme for adverse drug reactions by 2 September 2021, across all covid-19 vaccines currently offered.
Most people who report a change to their period after vaccination find that it returns to normal the following cycle and, importantly, there is no evidence that covid-19 vaccination adversely affects fertility. In clinical trials, unintended pregnancies occurred at similar rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. In assisted reproduction clinics, fertility measures and pregnancy rates are similar in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients. MHRA states that evaluation of yellow card reports does not support a link between changes to menstrual periods and covid-19 vaccines since the number of reports is low relative to both the number of people vaccinated and the prevalence of menstrual disorders generally. However, the way in which yellow card data are collected makes firm conclusions difficult. Approaches better equipped to compare rates of menstrual variation in vaccinated versus unvaccinated populations are needed, and the US National Institutes of Health has made $1.67m (£1.2m; €1.4m) available to encourage this important research.
Menstrual changes have been reported after both mRNA and adenovirus vectored covid-19 vaccines, suggesting that, if there is a connection, it is likely to be a result of the immune response to vaccination rather than a specific vaccine component. Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) has also been associated with menstrual changes.9 Indeed, the menstrual cycle can be affected by immune activation in response to various stimuli, including viral infection: in one study of menstruating women, around a quarter of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 experienced menstrual disruption.
Study finds menstrual bleeding changes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination
Study: Characterizing menstrual bleeding changes occurring after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Image Credit: La corneja artesana/ Shutterstock
Experts were prompt in denying a biological mechanism and stated no data to support a relationship between vaccine administration and menstrual changes. Meanwhile, other medical authorities attributed these changes to stress. This fueled greater concerns as people began speculating that such side effects may impact fertility. Also, with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine to become available to adolescents, there was a need to clarify these doubts. Multiple plausible biological mechanisms can explain a relationship between a vaccine – posing an acute immune challenge, and its systemic effects on hemostasis and inflammation and repair mechanisms of the uterus. In addition, studies and reports confirm long-term disruptions in menstrual function, especially in individuals with long coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID).
However, very few studies have assessed the direct effect of vaccination on the menstrual cycle. For example, the typhoid vaccine, hepatitis B vaccine, and HPV vaccine were reported to precipitate menstrual changes. A new study posted on the medRxiv* preprint server investigated menstrual bleeding patterns among current and former menstruating people, based on the premise that these bleeding changes were associated with changes in clotting or inflammation, which can affect the normal menstrual repair.
Can the COVID vaccine affect the menstrual cycle?
Following the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, there have been reports of people's periods changing in some way after their jabs. This has understandably caused concern, among young women in particular. So are COVID-19 vaccination and period changes linked, and if so should you be worried? The most common changes people have reported have included delays to periods, heavier periods than usual and unexpected bleeding, as well as increased fatigue and nausea around the time of their cycle.
Putting the figures into perspective - The 30,000 reports of disruptions to periods after COVID-19 vaccines to the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received since the vaccine programme was introduced in January might sound concerning. But statistics can be misleading. That same statistic means that with over 93 million vaccines given so far in the UK (half to women), 99.97% of women haven't reported any change. Link or coincidence? Importantly, reports to the MHRA don't by any means mean that the vaccine actually caused the possible side effect. Irregular, heavier or lighter periods are extremely common and under normal circumstances wouldn't be reported to anyone. The MHRA will be comparing whether the number of people reporting changes is any higher than the number of those in the unvaccinated population who would be expected to experience similar changes. If there is a link, should people be worried?
The next question to ask is whether a change to periods, if it is due to vaccination, should be a cause for concern. A short term change in the heaviness or regularity of periods almost always settles on its own among those who haven't been vaccinated. The obvious questions are:
- Will any change be temporary or long term?
- Will this have an impact on the effectiveness of my contraception?
- Could it affect my fertility in the longer term?
Can COVID-19 or the COVID-19 Vaccine Affect Your Period?
COVID-19 is a disease that’s caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. It’s often associated with respiratory symptoms, such as cough and shortness of breath. However, COVID-19 can also impact other parts of the body. Digestive, neurological, and cardiovascular symptoms can also occur.
There’s some evidence, through both research and anecdotal reports, that COVID-19 may also affect your period.
Let’s break down what we know so far:
- Can COVID-19 affect your menstrual cycles?
- Insights into COVID-19 and menstruation
Why Reports Of Menstrual Changes After COVID Vaccine Are Tough To Study
It's not a known side effect, but some people are experiencing changes to their menstrual cycles after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Reports have led some researchers to take a closer look at the possible connection. Scott Eisen/Getty Images
But thousands of people in the U.S. think they may have had other side effects that drugmakers and doctors never warned them about: unexpected changes in their menstrual cycles. Though many researchers and gynecologists say a causal link hasn't yet been established between the vaccines and the reported changes, it hasn't stopped the worry among some people. And so far, scientists haven't collected much data on whether or how the vaccines might affect a menstrual period.
Kate Clancy, a human reproductive ecologist and associate professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and biological anthropologist Katharine Lee of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis hope to change that. Clancy has centered her research for decades around uterine function, ovarian hormones and menstrual cycles, and Lee is also a data engineer; her current postdoctoral work includes "collaborations on physical activity and reproductive hormones across the lifespan in healthy adult premenopausal women."
Long COVID and periods: The unspoken impact on female well-being
Over the past few months, an increasing number of people worldwide say that after developing COVID-19, they are experiencing a prolonged state of ill health that people now refer to as long COVID. People with long COVID often experience symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, or headaches, on and off for months after the initial disease should have subsided. Existing evidence indicates that COVID-19 symptoms should disappear around 2 weeks after the onset of symptoms.
The reasons why so many people continue to experience disruptive symptoms remains unclear. However, researchers and medical doctors are now starting to look into possible mechanisms and the best ways to support individuals with long COVID. Most recently, on social media and dedicated support groups, many people with long COVID have spoken about how this prolonged state of illness has affected their menstrual cycles, further impacting their quality of life. Medical News Today spoke to six people with long COVID who have been experiencing disruptive changes to their menstrual cycles to find out more.
Menstrual Cycle Changes After Covid Shots Should Be Investigated To Prevent Misinformation, U.K. Immunologist Urges
An expert called for an investigation into menstrual disruptions and Covid-19 vaccination. GETTY IMAGES
Changes to periods and unexpected vaginal bleeding after getting vaccinated against Covid-19 should be investigated, according to an immunology expert writing in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday, who said there is no evidence the vaccines affect fertility and that “robust research” would help tackle rampant misinformation.
More than 30,000 women across the U.K. have reported a disruption to their period or unexpected vaginal bleeding after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, wrote Dr. Victoria Male, a lecturer in reproductive immunology at Imperial College London. The changes reported, which include heavier than usual and delayed periods, are short-lived and usually return “to normal the following cycle,” Male said. Male stressed that there is “no evidence that Covid-19 vaccination adversely affects fertility” and an analysis by the U.K.’s medicines regulator “does not support a link” between the vaccines and the reports.
Nevertheless, Male said a “link is plausible and should be investigated” in order to tackle hesitancy among young women driven largely by “false claims that Covid-19 vaccines could harm their chances of future pregnancy.” Failing to investigate reports thoroughly “is likely to fuel these fears,” Male warned, who said future clinical trials should actively ask participants to report changes to their menstrual cycles or vaginal bleeding.
Possible link between COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual cycle changes
Thousands of women around the world have reported suffering various period problems, including changes to their menstrual cycle, after taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Even though health experts have brushed off these concerns for the most part, growing evidence has put pressure on authorities to take note of the issue. So what do the studies suggest?
More than 30,000 women saw changes in their menstrual cycle after taking the coronavirus vaccine, according to a report in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal (BMJ). While the paper notes that most of these changes are safe and short-term, it calls for further research to understand their causes. The changes usually last only one cycle, according to the people who reported.
Dr. Victoria Male, the author of the paper, said the changes may have to do with a person's immune response and not something in the vaccine. "Menstrual changes have been reported after both mRNA and adenovirus vectored COVID-19 vaccines, suggesting that if there is a connection, it is likely...a result of the immune response to vaccination rather than a specific vaccine component."
Possible Side Effects After Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination will help protect people from getting COVID-19. Adults and children may have some side effects from the vaccine, which are normal signs that their body is building protection. These side effects may affect their ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects, and allergic reactions are rare.
Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine monitoring has historically shown that side effects generally happen within six weeks of receiving a vaccine dose. For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collected data on each of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines for a minimum of two months (eight weeks) after the final dose. CDC is continuing to monitor the safety of COVID-19 vaccines even now that the vaccines are in use.
The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks. Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) in adolescents and young adults have been reported more often after getting the second dose than after the first dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
Vagina leaking clear & stretchy discharge - Here's why!
Vaginal discharge is the fluid that's released by cells present in the vagina and cervix. Its primary job is to remove the old cells and debris, thus keeping the vagina and reproductive tract clean, as well as maintaining a healthy pH balance.
While it is normal to notice chances in the colour or consistency of your vaginal discharge, as it can vary from day to day depending on the stage of your menstrual cycle, it can be worrisome if it is accompanied by discomfort.
Let's take a deeper look into
why that happens and when you should worry:
- Changes in vaginal discharge during the ovulation period
- Changes in vaginal discharge after ovulation
- Changes in vaginal discharge during the menstrual cycle
Vaginal warts and all
Nicole Lim during the recording of an episode of her podcast "Something Private" in Singapore on Oct 7, 2020
From vaginal warts to masturbation, taboo-breaking Singaporean podcaster Nicole Lim tackles topics that may make some squirm but has won a following in socially conservative Asian societies.
With her series "Something Private", she has tapped into a growing appetite for more open discussion about sensitive issues affecting women in the city-state and beyond.
It has featured interviews on subjects ranging from domestic violence to disabled women's dating experiences and intimate relationships involving multiple partners.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Vagina Candle Exploded
Gwyneth Paltrow and her This Smells Like My Vagina candle
Gwyneth Paltrow’s vaginal candle was apparently too hot to handle for some folks. Well, at least for one woman in the UK. Jody Thompson of Kilburn, North London, told The Sun said she won the anatomically- inspired candle — called This Smells Like My Vagina — sold by Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop, in an online quiz.
The candle retails for US$75 (S$100) and its aroma is described to contain a “blend of geranium, citrusy bergamot, and cedar absolutes juxtaposed with Damask rose and ambrette seed.”
Thompson, 50, a media consultant, said that after she lit the candle, a “50cm flame” leapt from the wick and out of the glass jar. She told the paper, “The candle exploded and emitted huge flames, with bits flying everywhere. I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole thing was ablaze and it was too hot to touch. There was an inferno in the room.”
Vulva Health: Why women should take care of this most intimate feminine area
You should take care of your vulva as you would any part of your skin – that means keeping it clean and healthy. How often should you wash this intimate area? Can your sanitary pads or underwear affect vulva health? CNA Women asked doctors to shed light on what we need to know about caring for it
It was titled “What Do You Know About The Female Body?” and had the production team hitting the streets to find out how much men knew about the female anatomy, in particular, the female reproductive system. Naturally, my girlfriends and I laughed when we saw the video because the men interviewed had no clue where or what things were. But at the back of my mind, I wondered how much we, as women, even know about our own anatomy, especially the goings-on down south.
How many of us know the difference between the vagina and the vulva, for instance? Or if it’s an area of the body we should give extra care to (or none at all)? And really, what should we be doing?
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