New research suggests how the COVID-19 vaccine affects physiology

• According to a new study, women may experience short-term changes in their menstrual cycle after COVID-19 vaccination.
• Researchers have found that these changes are associated with all COVID-19 vaccine types. However, experts still recommend people with menstruation to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
• “The good news from the data is that the changes were temporary and short-lived without long-term consequences.”

Since the first wave of COVID-19 vaccination Now available, we’ve been learning more and more about how shots affect our bodies, most Side effects It’s not very important. And while this remains true, new research suggests that the COVID-19 vaccine may affect your period.

Specifically, healthcare professionals are currently identifying a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and short-term changes in menstrual cycle length and regularity.The study (The largest ever) was released last week by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the findings raise some questions for those who are already menstruating.

Early 2021. Many people started sharing Experienced unexpected menstrual bleeding after receiving the first COVID-19 vaccine. To further investigate this phenomenon, researchers asked 39,129 people who received two SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations a series of questions about the change in duration and their vaccination experience.

In this sample, 42% of people with a regular menstrual cycle said they had more bleeding than usual after vaccination, but 44% reported no change. Of the respondents who do not normally menstruate, 71% are taking long-acting reversible contraceptives, 39% are taking sex-verifying hormones, and 66 are postmenopausal. % Reported breakthrough bleeding.

“Vaccines have no effect on your fertility.”

Researchers also found that increased / disrupted bleeding after vaccination was associated with older age, side effects of systemic vaccines (fever and / or malaise), milder typical menstruation that had previously been pregnant or giving birth, and ethnicity. , Especially found to be significantly associated with the Hispanic / Latin system. For premenopausal people without menstruation, breakthrough bleeding was more likely to occur if they were previously pregnant and / or had a baby. For postmenopausal people, breakthrough bleeding was more likely for Hispanic / Latino people. Finally, people with endometriosis, menorrhagia, uterine fibroids, and regular menstruation with PCOS were slightly more likely to experience more severe bleeding.

Ultimately, the results of this study show that respondents to samples who are menstruating on a regular basis are likely to have no change in bleeding after vaccination or a heavier post-vaccination period. I showed that. A much smaller percentage of people had lighter menstruation. “In general, changes in menstrual bleeding are not uncommon or dangerous, but you need to pay attention to these experiences to build confidence in medicine,” the study emphasized.

It is also important to note the limitations of this study. The results may have been distorted due to self-reporting bias, as this study was based solely on personal responses from participants. Also, those who are experiencing changes in menstruation are more likely to have completed the survey. In addition, this study did not compare results with people in the unvaccinated control group.

Kate White, MDAssociate Professor, OB / GYN, Boston University School of Medicine, and Author Your Sexual Health: A Guide to Understanding, Loved, and Caring for Your BodyAgrees that this research is limited by web-based design. “In addition, a very high percentage of respondents were white. This does not reflect the experience of all people, but the size of the survey (more than 39,000) is incredible. It ’s a strength. ”

Still, these findings are Small study Those who reported changes in menstruation after vaccination using a control group (people who were not vaccinated).

What should we remove from these new discoveries?

“Many women noticed changes in their menstrual cycle after receiving the Covid vaccine, dispelling their concerns and being told that their cycle was affected by anxiety.” He knows the body best and emphasizes the fact that the changes are not in the “head” but the actual side effects of the vaccine. ” Jennifer Parker, MD, Women’s health expert. “The good news from the data is that the changes were temporary and short-lived without long-term consequences,” she adds.

“There is no long-term effect on your period.”

These new discoveries may affect how healthcare professionals consider the sequelae of the COVID-19 vaccine and will further consider menstrual health in other vaccine trials. “This study emphasizes how important it is for researchers to monitor menstrual health in future vaccine trials and better handle the underlying biological mechanisms,” said Dr. Wider. “.

Should people with menstruation still be vaccinated?

The answer is yes. “Everyone, with or without menstruation, needs to be vaccinated with the COVID vaccine,” says Dr. White. “It’s important for doctors to advise patients that the vaccine can temporarily disrupt menstruation, but it has no long-term effects on your period and the vaccine has no effect on your fertility. not.”

Dr. White continued, “COVID-19 continues to be a serious infection for many people, and everyone is at risk of repeated infections with new variants (although vaccines are an infection and a severe infection). It provides protection from both), so vaccine protection is worth tinkering with your period of life in the short term. “

Given that the changes in menstruation seen in the study participants were temporary and short-lived, Dr. Wider said, “The importance of vaccination is the short-term risk of changes in the menstrual cycle. Much more than that. “

Dr. Wider added that the study “needs to raise awareness that women with irregular menstrual periods or light bleeding cycles may experience changes or heavier bleeding and are more likely to be due to the vaccine.” I have. Therefore, in the end, this study should serve as a potential explanation for some heavy menstrual cycles after vaccination.

Does COVID-19 infection also affect menstruation?

According to Dr. Wideler, “Women with COVID report changes in their menstrual cycle.” But more research is needed to figure out why.

“Any infection (or severe stress) can affect your period. Early studies have shown that COVID-19 infection can change your period in a variety of ways. “Dr. White says. “The amount of bleeding you see can vary — most often it leads to a lighter period, but some people experience heavier bleeding. You can also change the timing of the bleeding. Menstruation can be early or late (or not at all), and these confusions can exist for a long time. “

Still, Dr. Wider points out that “more research is needed to figure out why this happens,” despite reports that women infected with COVID-19 reported changes in their menstrual cycle. doing.

Conclusion

Vaccination is still important.But it is teeth Tracking your menstrual cycle is always a good idea. And it is especially wise to track your period after vaccination. But if you see short-term irregularities in your cycle, don’t worry, Dr. Wider says. “If an irregular pattern persists, it is wise to get the attention of your healthcare provider.

This article is accurate at the time of press. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses rapidly and the scientific community gains a better understanding of the new coronavirus, some information may have changed since it was last updated. We aim to keep all the stories up to date, CDC, WHOAnd yours Local public health sector To keep up to date with the latest news. Always consult your doctor for professional medical advice.