A significant population of women may have noticed that their menstrual cycle has been slightly adjusted following a COVID-19 vaccination. According to a new study, the adjustment is a normal reaction to the treatment and may commonly manifest as opposed to those who did not take their jabs yet. The study was organized by various health professionals and was backed up by fundings from the U.S. government.
Menstrual Cycle Slightly Adjusted After Vaccination?
A woman looks at her watch as she crosses a street in Manhattan, New York city on May 19, 2021. - Governor Andrew Cuomo says New York will adopt the CDC's new indoor mask and social distancing guidance for fully vaccinated people starting Wednesday.ED JONES/AFP via Getty Images
Although there was a minimal modification to the time of period, the bleeding itself is not affected. The changes were observed through the help of information gathered from 4,000 subjects.
Oregon Health & Science University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology expert and lead author of the study Alison Edelman said in a Reportr update that the effects found in many women's menstrual cycles are minor and are expected to manifest temporarily in their systems. According to the report, the findings are both reassuring and validating to the population that was baffled by the experience.
The experts added that through the study, the ongoing misinformation that focuses on anti-vaccination could be prevented. The results will also help people on social platforms to be knowledgeable about the correlation between the COVID-19 vaccines and menstruation.
The changes recorded in the menstrual cycle of the subjects were not significant enough to be a medical health concern. The scholars from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics said that menstrual shifts under eight days are classified under normal changes.
As we all know, the period cycles in women run at a standard of 28 days, but each individual may vary on dates, the intensity of bleeding, and even side-effects of the flow. In addition, these cycles could also shift to a different period as individuals live through their age and corresponding stress.
Correlation Between Immune System and Reproductive System
The data for the examination were collected from a fertility tracking app that was utilized by women in the age group of 18 to 45. All of the subjects were monitored without them using any type of hormonal contraceptives. Out of the total number of participants, an estimate of 2,400 individuals received their vaccines.
Fifty-five percent of the women were given Pfizer, 35 percent with Moderna, and seven percent with Johnson & Johnson. With the vaccinated participants, 1,500 women were also monitored under the investigation. The data collected from this group was derived from their six consecutive periods.
In conclusion, the experts noted that the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines regulated an increase of 0.64-day in the women's menstrual cycle, while the second dose added a 0.79-day increase. Edelman said these minimal changes are due to the strong links between the reproductive system and the immune system.
The two functions connect when the immune system powers itself, affecting the neurological part (hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis) responsible for regulating the ovaries and uterus. The study was published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, titled "Association Between Menstrual Cycle Length and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination - A U.S. Cohort."
