MENSTRUAL IRREGULARITIES IN WOMEN AFTER COVID-19 INFECTION AND VACCINATION: A COMMUNITY BASED STUDY AMONG DUBAI HOSPITAL FEMALE STAFF AND WOMEN ATTENDING GYNECOLOGY CLINIC AND EMERGENCY
Main Article Content
Keywords
COVID-19, menstrual changes, vaccination, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Abstract
Background
Globally COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected various domains of health, including women's menstrual health. Some studies reported that both COVID-19 infection and vaccination may cause menstrual irregularities and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). This study aimed to examine the relationship between COVID-19 infection, vaccination status, and menstrual changes in women working at Dubai Hospital and those attending the Gynecology Clinic and Emergency Department.
Objective: This study aimed to identify the association between COVID-19 infection, vaccination status, and menstrual changes in women at Dubai Hospital and the Gynecology Clinic and Emergency Department attendant.
Methods: This cross-sectional study carried out 168 women aged 18-54, including Dubai Hospital staff and Gynecology Clinic and Emergency Department attendees. Using convenience sampling, data were collected via structured questionnaires on sociodemographic information, menstrual history, COVID-19 infection, and vaccination status. The sample size was calculated for a 95% confidence interval and a 5% margin of error. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests analyzed menstrual irregularities with COVID-19 exposure.
Results: Executed analysis revealed a significant proportion of women reporting changes in menstrual cycle length, bleeding patterns, and intensity following COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Abnormalities in the menstrual period were more commonly reported among women who had received the COVID-19 vaccine, with variations in cycle length, volume of bleeding, and associated pain.
Conclusion: This study's main findings indicate that both COVID-19 infection and vaccination are linked to menstrual changes, with significant implications for women's reproductive health. Further research is necessary to understand the underlying procedure of the study and its long-term effects of COVID-19 and its vaccination on menstrual health.
References
2. Bar-Joseph, H. et al. The direct effect of SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccination on human ovarian granulosa cells explains menstrual irregularities. npj Vaccines 9, 41541 (2024).
3. Edelman, A. et al. Timing of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination and Effects on Menstrual Cycle Changes. Obstet. Gynecol. 143, 585–594 (2024).
4. Nazeer, I. et al. COVID-19 Vaccine-Related Menstrual Disorders among Reproductive Age Women in the UAE. J. Women’s Heal. Dev. 07, 23–28 (2024).
5. Aftab, N. et al. Effects of the COVID-19 Infection on Women’s Menstrual Cycle: A Retrospective Study at Latifa Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Cureus 15, (2023).
6. Paik, H. & Kim, S. K. Female reproduction and abnormal uterine bleeding after COVID-19 vaccination. Clin. Exp. Reprod. Med. 50, 69–77 (2023).
7. Edelman, A. et al. Association Between Menstrual Cycle Length and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination A U.S. Cohort. Obstet. Gynecol. 139, 481–489 (2022).
8. Błażejewski, G. & Witkoś, J. The Impact of COVID-19 on Menstrual Cycle in Women. J. Clin. Med. 12, (2023).
9. Wang, S., Mortazavi, J., Hart, J., … J. H.-A. journal of & 2022, U. A prospective study of the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination with changes in usual menstrual cycle characteristics. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 227, 739.e1-739.e11 (2022).
10. Minakshi, R., Rahman, S., Ayaggari, A., Dutta, D. & Shankar, A. Understanding the Trauma of Menstrual Irregularity After COVID Vaccination: A Bird’s-Eye View of Female Immunology. Front. Immunol. 13, 1–8 (2022).
11. Romadhon, Y. A., Lestari, N., Firdausi, N. F. & Kurniati, Y. P. Analyzing the Determinants of the Willingness to Receive and Pay for COVID-19 Vaccines Prior to the Commencement of Vaccination in Indonesia Using a Mixed-method Study. MAGNA MEDICA Berk. Ilm. Kedokt. dan Kesehat. 9, 155–174 (2022).
12. Abdollahi, A. et al. Comparison of Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines: Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Covaxin in Women in Terms of Menstruation Disturbances, Hirsutism, and Metrorrhagia: A Descriptive-Analytical Cross-Sectional Study. Int. J. Fertil. Steril. 16, 237–243 (2022).
13. Mahfouz, M. S. et al. Menstrual irregularities associated with COVID-19 vaccines among women in Saudi Arabia: A survey during 2022. Open Med. 18, (2023).
14. Darney, B. G. et al. Impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination on menstrual bleeding quantity: An observational cohort study. BJOG An Int. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. 130, 803–812 (2023).
15. Deogade, M. S. et al. Dysmenorrhea and heavy bleeding as complications in COVID-19-positive women: An observational study. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care 12, 1849 (2023).
16. Al-Najjar, M. A. A., Al-Alwany, R. R., Al-Rshoud, F. M., Abu-Farha, R. K. & Zawiah, M. Menstrual changes following COVID-19 infection: A cross-sectional study from Jordan and Iraq. PLoS One 17, e0270537 (2022).
Article Sidebar
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
All articles published in JPTCP are licensed under Copyright Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Nighat Fatima
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Wafa Mohsin
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Uma Vasanth
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Seema Waheed
Specialist Registrar, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Lama Khalid
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Tazeen Makhdoom
Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.
Zahra Haider
Residents, Dubai Health Dubai Hospital, United Arab Emirates.