The impact of covid 19 and vaccination on menstruation
The Covid-19 pandemic has transformed human behavior and, in general, our way of life. There are still many questions about Covid-19 which are still yet to be answered. A number of studies have confirmed the virus’s impact on human health. Furthermore its impact on menstrual cycles.
Covid-19 has a number of undesirable health effects, including changes in menstrual cycles. Vaccination has been demonstrated to be an effective technique for fighting Covid-19, however other studies have indicated that immunizations are ineffective. When it comes to menstruation, even after getting vaccinated, there are still certain challenges to cope with.
Hormonal levels associated with menstruation differ from research to study, and it’s uncertain whether Covid-19 is to account for the disparity in estrogen and progesterone levels. However, we’d like to share findings from studies conducted all around the world that illustrate how Covid-19 affects a woman’s menstrual cycle.
Can COVID-19 disrupt your Periods?
Yes, Covid-19, and the Covid-19 vaccinations, have the potential to disrupt your menstrual cycle. Covid-19 is a relatively unknown virus, but studies have shown that it causes abnormalities in women’s menstrual cycles and can have an impact on menstruation in general.
Covid 19 and Menstrual Cycle
The effects of Covid-19 on women during their menstrual cycle have been studied by a number of medical and academic organizations around the world. Researchers from a variety of institutions have come to similar or identical conclusions. There is now widespread agreement among virologists that women infected with Covid-19 may have changes in their menstrual cycle.
Lighter periods, heavier periods, irregular periods, and missed periods were all discovered. The majority of these changes are attributable to hormonal changes brought on by Covid-19 infection. Covid-19 is thought to create stress, and stress is one of two key variables that cause alterations in women’s menstrual cycles, the other being hormonal changes.
Stress and hormonal changes are discussed in further detail below because they are thought to induce alterations in the menstrual cycle and are noticeable to those infected with Covid-19.
*Stress caused by Covid-19 causing changes in Menstrual cycle
Covid 19 is a known stressor to the human body, particularly the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is a vital neuroendocrine system that regulates physiological activity and modifies stress response. When the HPA axis is overworked, it is forced to defend the body and combat stress.
The HPA axis will produce the stress hormone cortisol to help the body prepare to fight or flee the threat. Because Covid-19 recovery might take up to 6 weeks or longer, prolonged Covid-19 indicates higher cortisol levels. Cortisol levels that are too high can cause a woman’s menstrual cycle to be disrupted.
A prolonged Covid-19 can both suppress the HPA axis and raise cortisol levels. Long periods of stress lead the HPA axis to burn out, resulting in a burnout of the response mechanism. As a result, the pituitary gland will produce fewer follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones (FSH and LH).
Reduced pituitary FSH and LH production leads to decreased ovarian estrogen and progesterone production. If this process does not take place, the follicle stimulating hormone must rise in response to the formation of numerous ovarian follicles, causing the women’s menstrual cycle to change.
If the HPA axis is completely repressed, a phenomenon will occur. This is known as amenorrhea, which is a condition in which a woman’s menstruation is completely missing. Partially suppressing the HPA axis can result in spotting or bleeding every few weeks.
*Hormonal changes caused by Covid 19 and changes in Menstrual cycle
According to a PubMed study, Covid-19 has no effect on hormones; nevertheless, the longer the virus is active in the body, the more likely the hormones will change. In women of childbearing age, average sex hormone concentrations and ovarian reserve did not vary considerably, according to the study. The study looked at 177 participants who were in the early stages of the follicular phase.
The levels of sex hormones follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), estrogen, and progesterone in 91 people with Covid-19 were compared to 91 people without Covid-19 in the same study. It was concluded that the two groups had similar hormonal results, with no significant differences between them.
Furthermore, the study found that between 1 and 2 months after receiving Covid-19, 84 percent and 99 percent of the patients reverted to their usual menstrual cycle and volume. The stress generated by Covid-19, not the sex hormones, was blamed for the variations in menstrual cycle.
Finally, the study discovered that stress increased cortisol levels, suppressing the HPA axis. Some people with a long-term Covid-19 infection were only affected and the stress hormone cortisol was a major contributor to changes in menstrual length. However, within two months of being diagnosed with Covid-19, their condition had reverted to normal.
Does the Covid-19 vaccine have any effects on your periods?
Now that we know that Covid-19 induces stress in the body and that cortisol levels rise, as a result, disrupting the menstrual cycle. Covid-19 vaccinations are used for prevention, although it is unclear whether they induce changes in the menstrual cycle.
The role of Covid-19 vaccinations in changing period lengths is still a point of contention. However, some study has been done on the matter, and groups of people have been tracked to see if the Covid-19 immunizations had an effect on their periods.
Tracked individuals reported heavier than usual periods, delayed periods, bleeding between periods, and vaginal bleeding beyond menopause, according to research conducted by the UK’s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were used in the study. Menstrual abnormalities and vaginal bleeding were shown to be uncommon when compared to the amount of people who menstruate and have received the Covid-19 vaccine, according to the study.
A research of 2400 vaccinated women and 1600 uninfected women over the course of six menstrual cycles discovered that those who were vaccinated experienced an increase in cycle length of more than one day.
The study also discovered that those who received two doses had a two-day increase in their menstrual cycle, compared to a one-day increase for those who had only one shot. Furthermore, among those who received two doses, 10% of women projected an 8-day or longer shift in cycle length.
What to take from the Covid-19 Vaccine study
The MHRA vaccine study validated what patients feel when they get vaccinated and how vaccines influence the menstrual cycle. Although not conclusive, the MRHA vaccination study is the beginning of research into what happens to one’s period cycle after receiving a vaccine.
The Covid-19 vaccines are still being studied, and we will learn more about their influence on women who menstruate as time goes on. Recent research has aided women in dealing with their fears of missing periods, which could indicate that they are pregnant.
More research is needed, such as studies of women who use hormonal birth control, people with thyroid disorders, women with endometriosis, and other conditions that can impact the length of the menstrual cycle.
More definite proof can be obtained by investigating other reasons for changes in cycle duration. This is because the causes of change in the menstrual cycle that may be contributed to the causes linked to vaccines as per MHRA study suggests, but rather to factors that are likely to affect the menstrual cycle, such as the contraceptive pill or so.
According to one study, the Covid-19 Vaccine can be harmful to people who have endometriosis or polycystic ovarian condition (PCOS). These individuals are likely to have disrupted periods when they take the Covid-19 Vaccine.
What to do if Covid-19 or Vaccines disrupt your menstrual cycle
Having stated that, it is possible to make the error of believing that Covid-19 or vaccines are the cause of changes in the menstrual cycle; nevertheless, there is a good possibility that it is not the vaccine or Covid-19. Vaccines and/or Covid-19 have only had a minor impact on one’s menstrual cycle, but even a small proportion has an impact.
Covid-19 is a relatively new virus of which little is known. Many of the anecdotes about how to treat it have been anecdotal and speculative. However, if you believe that a Covid-19 Vaccine or Covid-19 has affected your menstrual cycle, there are two things you can do.
Here are the two things that can be done so far.
*Visiting a physician
Doctors are usually aware of what is going on in their medical profession, as well as breakthroughs in Covid-19 medicine and vaccination research. It’s important to know what to do if you’re having trouble with your periods as a result of Covid-19 and its vaccinations.
When vaccinated or if you have Covid-19, using over-the-counter medication to deal with changes in the menstrual cycle may be a terrible choice. As a result, interacting with a practitioner and obtaining a medical prescription from a practitioner is a secure method of doing so.
*Using balancing supplements
Hormone balancing pills can be used to help with better periods by balancing hormones. Since Covid-19 induces stress in the body, the amount of cortisol generated to combat stress can be adjusted. The balance of cortisol, however, does not imply that the HPA axis will be lightly suppressed.
As you’ll be self-diagnosing, you might discover that Covid-19 or its vaccination isn’t the problem. Hormonal imbalances may be the culprit, which can be treated with balancing supplements. If the balancing supplements don’t work, it’s most likely due to Covid-19 or the Covid-19 Vaccine that was taken.
Conclusion
As far as we know, Covid-19 has a minor effect on periods, but it can have a significant impact if Covid-19 symptoms are prolonged. Covid-19 exposure for an extended period of time strains the body and impairs the immune system. With an overly stressed body caused by Covid-19, the female body’s inability to go into periods can be jeopardised, resulting in amenorrhea.
Recent research reveals that Covid-19 vaccines are more likely than Covid-19 to cause changes in the menstrual cycle. If your cycle duration has changed, seeing a doctor should be your first priority.
It’s also worth noting that variations in your periods could indicate that you’re pregnant. As a result, if you have changes in your periods after being vaccinated or sick with Covid-19, you must establish whether or not you are pregnant.
