COVID-19 Vaccines & Women's Health (Part 1): Has your menstrual cycle changed since taking the vaccine? You're not alone.

Author: S. Gordon-Jeffery

Research series

I read with interest an article published by The Jamaica Observer, titled 'Can COVID-19 vaccines impact periods?' which looked at the claims several women have been making that the COVID-19 vaccines were affecting their menstrual cycles. Some of the women who shared their experience claimed that before taking the vaccine, their periods were irregular but after taking the vaccine it now comes every month. Some of the respondents say their periods have showed up earlier than usual after taking the vaccine, while others said their periods were delayed and when it finally came it was very heavy and they experienced cramping.  

For the women who have always had a normal 28 to 30 day cycle, the experience has been frightening --their periods are longer and heavier than usual. So what is really going on?

While doing some digging I found out that over 4000 women in the UK have reported to Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) --the UK's medical/vaccine monitoring authority. According to information shared by the news website The Daily Mail [dailymail.co.uk)], the women reported having heavier periods, as well as their periods being late or coming down too early.

According to the article gynaecologists believe their could be a link between the abnormal periods and the covid-19 vaccines, but that the changes should be temporary.

Here's the break down of Covid-19 vaccines involved in the cases:

AstraZeneca vaccine - 2,734 reports of irregular periods after jab, up until May 17

Pfizer vaccine - 1,158 women reported changes to their menstrual cycle after this jab

Moderna - remaining 66 women also noticed changes in their period cycle

  These were the words of the MHRA chief executive, Dr. June Raine, even after the reports of these women:

''The current evidence does not suggest an increased risk, following vaccination, with the UK's three Covid vaccines

"The number of reports is low in relation to the number of women who have had the vaccine to date and the background rate of menstrual disorders generally.

"We continue to closely monitor these reports for potential signals."

(Kekatos, 2021)

So it sounds like these cases are rare, right? Just 4,000 women in the UK are having this issue. But that is not true. Thousands of other women are having trouble. Women in the US, in Kenya, and Lebanon have come forward to say they noticed changes too. It is also possible that women in other countries may be having issues and suffering in silence.

Let's look at a particular case in the United States: 

Dr Kathryn Clancy, an associate professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, launched a study into the phenomenon after she also experienced issues after taking the Moderna jab. After noticing changes in her period, Dr. Clancy tweeted this on her twitter account in February:

A colleague told me she has heard from others that their periods were heavy post-vax. I'm curious whether other menstruators have noticed changes too? I'm a week and a half out from dose 1 of Moderna, got my period maybe a day or so early, and am gushing like I'm in my 20s again.

I'm on day 3 of my period and am still swapping out extra long overnight pads a few times a day. Typical for me at this time is maybe one or two regular pads (though extra absorbent, Always Infinity ones) for the whole day

Does this have to do with the way the vax response is mounting a broader inflammatory response, possibly moreso because of the lipid nanoparticle or mRNA mechanism? Either way I am fascinated! Inflammation + tissue remodeling = extra bleedypants! 

Ok this is too cool, the colleague and I are already plotting a self-report tool to try and gather these experiences.

(Clancy)

The colleague she was referring to is Dr Katherine Lee, a post-doctoral scholar in the public health sciences division at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, who had a similar experience. Both are now actively investigating the effect of the vaccine on women and welcome testimonials from those who have been affected. If you go through that particular thread you will see a number of women sharing their own experiences.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology however do not believe these women, they released statements saying that there is no link between the vaccine and these cases. They also encouraged pregnant women and those breastfeeding to take the vaccine. Here is a statement from them:

"As experts in reproductive health, we continue to recommend that the vaccine be available to pregnant individuals. We also assure patients that there is no evidence that the vaccine can lead to loss of fertility. While fertility was not specifically studied in the clinical trials of the vaccine, no loss of fertility has been reported among trial participants or among the millions who have received the vaccines since their authorization, and no signs of infertility appeared in animal studies. Loss of fertility is scientifically unlikely."

 (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2021)

Additionally, there was a statement from Dr. Jen Gunter, an obstetrician-gynecologist and pain medicine physician, and a member of the ACOG, who counteracting Dr. Clancy's claims, said:

"I suspect the awful people who invented this lie saw the reports of menstrual irregularities post Covid-19 vaccine online and decided to warp it for their campaign of chaos." 

"No, the Covid-19 vaccine is not capable of exerting reproductive control via proxy. Nothing is. This is because it is a vaccine, not a spell."

(Gunter, 2021) 

Here is her full statement.

What is really going on here? Who do we believe? The women and the two doctors who share common symptoms with them or the scientists who say nuttin nuh guh suh!

Tune in this Friday, September 17, for the next article on this topic where I will share what other women are saying in other countries and what are the experts responses.

Additional Resources:

1. Gordon-Jeffery, S. "COVID-19 Vaccine & Women's Health: (Part 2)  Has your menstrual cycle changed since taking the vaccine? No, you're not crazy." The Writing Solution, published 17 September 2021, https://thewritingsolution.blogspot.com/2021/09/covid-19-vaccines-womens-health-part-2.html
2. Gordon-Jeffery, S.  "COVID-19 Vaccine & Women's Health: (Part 3) Has your menstrual cycle changed since taking the vaccine? Women speak up on social media." The Writing Solution, published 21 September 2021, https://thewritingsolution.blogspot.com/2021/09/covid-19-vaccines-womens-health-part-3.html

_______________
References

1. Hutchinson, B.   (2021, September 12). 'Can COVID-19 vaccines impact periods?', Jamaica Observer. https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/your-health-your-wealth/can-covid-19_230967

2. Kekatos, M. (2021, June 21). Gynecologists say it IS possible that COVID-19 vaccines could be affecting period after 4,000 women in the UK report menstrual cycle changes following the shot, The Daily Mail, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-9710415/amp/Gynecologists-say-possible-COVID-19-vaccines-affecting-periods.html

3. Clancy, Kate [@kateclancy]. "A colleague told me she has heard from others that their periods were heavy post-vax. I'm curious whether other menstruators have noticed changes too? I'm a week and a half out from dose 1 of Moderna, got my period maybe a day or so early, and am gushing like I'm in my 20s again." Twitter, February 24, 2021, https://mobile.twitter.com/kateclancy/status/1364671490772320259?lang=en

4. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Medical Experts Continue to Assert that COVID Vaccines Do Not Impact Fertility, published 4 February 2021,  https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2021/02/medical-experts-assert-covid-vaccines-do-not-impact-fertility

5. Villarreal, A. 'No data’ linking Covid vaccines to menstrual changes, US experts say, published 23 April 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/23/covid-vaccines-periods-menstruation-changes-data-experts

6. Gunter, J.  The COVID-19 vaccine is a vaccine, not a spell. The Vajenda, published 20 April 20 2021, https://vajenda.substack.com/p/the-covid-19-vaccine-is-a-vaccine