A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and disease

Alexandra Alvergne; Gabriella Kountourides; M. Austin Argentieri; Lisa Agyen; Natalie Rogers; Dawn Knight; Gemma C Sharp; Jacqueline A Maybin; Zuzanna Olszewska

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.106401

A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and disease

Alexandra Alvergne, Gabriella Kountourides, M. Austin Argentieri, Lisa Agyen, Natalie Rogers, Dawn Knight, Gemma C Sharp, Jacqueline A Maybin, Zuzanna Olszewska

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

There has been increasing public concern that COVID-19 vaccination causes menstrual disturbance regarding the relative effect of vaccination compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objectives were to test potential risk factors for reporting menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and to compare menstrual parameters following COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 disease. We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective online survey conducted in the UK in March 2021. In pre-menopausal vaccinated participants (n = 4,989), 18% reported menstrual cycle changes after their first COVID-19 vaccine injection. The prevalence of reporting any menstrual changes was higher for women who smoke, have a history of COVID-19 disease, or are not using estradiol-containing contraceptives. In a second sample including both vaccinated and unvaccinated participants (n = 12,579), COVID-19 vaccination alone was not associated with abnormal menstrual cycle parameters, while a history of COVID-19 disease was associated with an increased risk of reporting heavier bleeding, "missed" periods, and inter-menstrual bleeding.

Original language	English
Article number	106401
Pages (from-to)	106401
Journal	iScience
Volume	26
Issue number	4
Early online date	15 Mar 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.106401
Publication status	Published - 21 Apr 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Health sciences
Immunology
Public health
Women's health

Access to Document

10.1016/j.isci.2023.106401Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and diseaseFinal published version, 3.45 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2589004223004789

Examining physiological hypoxia at menstruation to define the mechanisms that underpin endometrial resilience and heavy menstrual bleeding
Maybin, J.
UK-based charities
1/08/19 → 31/07/24
Project: Research
MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh
Pollard, J.
MRC
12/09/16 → 11/09/22
Project: Research
Centre for Reproductive Resillience
Pollard, J.
MRC
12/09/11 → 11/09/16
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and disease",

abstract = "There has been increasing public concern that COVID-19 vaccination causes menstrual disturbance regarding the relative effect of vaccination compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objectives were to test potential risk factors for reporting menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and to compare menstrual parameters following COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 disease. We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective online survey conducted in the UK in March 2021. In pre-menopausal vaccinated participants (n = 4,989), 18% reported menstrual cycle changes after their first COVID-19 vaccine injection. The prevalence of reporting any menstrual changes was higher for women who smoke, have a history of COVID-19 disease, or are not using estradiol-containing contraceptives. In a second sample including both vaccinated and unvaccinated participants (n = 12,579), COVID-19 vaccination alone was not associated with abnormal menstrual cycle parameters, while a history of COVID-19 disease was associated with an increased risk of reporting heavier bleeding, {"}missed{"} periods, and inter-menstrual bleeding.",

keywords = "Health sciences, Immunology, Public health, Women's health",

author = "Alexandra Alvergne and Gabriella Kountourides and Argentieri, {M. Austin} and Lisa Agyen and Natalie Rogers and Dawn Knight and Sharp, {Gemma C} and Maybin, {Jacqueline A} and Zuzanna Olszewska",

note = "Funding Information: We thank participants for their time completing the survey. JAM receives funding from The Wellcome Trust ( 209589/Z/17/Z , IS3-R3.11 21/22 ) and The Royal Society of Edinburgh (1077) and acknowledges the support of the Medical Research Centre ( MRC ) Center Grants G1002033 and MR/N022556/1 . AA received funding from the British Academy ( MD19\190016 ). GK received funding from the ESRC ES/P000649/1 . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors",

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AU - Rogers, Natalie

AU - Knight, Dawn

AU - Sharp, Gemma C

AU - Maybin, Jacqueline A

AU - Olszewska, Zuzanna

N1 - Funding Information: We thank participants for their time completing the survey. JAM receives funding from The Wellcome Trust ( 209589/Z/17/Z , IS3-R3.11 21/22 ) and The Royal Society of Edinburgh (1077) and acknowledges the support of the Medical Research Centre ( MRC ) Center Grants G1002033 and MR/N022556/1 . AA received funding from the British Academy ( MD19\190016 ). GK received funding from the ESRC ES/P000649/1 . Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

PY - 2023/4/21

Y1 - 2023/4/21

N2 - There has been increasing public concern that COVID-19 vaccination causes menstrual disturbance regarding the relative effect of vaccination compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objectives were to test potential risk factors for reporting menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and to compare menstrual parameters following COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 disease. We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective online survey conducted in the UK in March 2021. In pre-menopausal vaccinated participants (n = 4,989), 18% reported menstrual cycle changes after their first COVID-19 vaccine injection. The prevalence of reporting any menstrual changes was higher for women who smoke, have a history of COVID-19 disease, or are not using estradiol-containing contraceptives. In a second sample including both vaccinated and unvaccinated participants (n = 12,579), COVID-19 vaccination alone was not associated with abnormal menstrual cycle parameters, while a history of COVID-19 disease was associated with an increased risk of reporting heavier bleeding, "missed" periods, and inter-menstrual bleeding.

AB - There has been increasing public concern that COVID-19 vaccination causes menstrual disturbance regarding the relative effect of vaccination compared to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our objectives were to test potential risk factors for reporting menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and to compare menstrual parameters following COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 disease. We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective online survey conducted in the UK in March 2021. In pre-menopausal vaccinated participants (n = 4,989), 18% reported menstrual cycle changes after their first COVID-19 vaccine injection. The prevalence of reporting any menstrual changes was higher for women who smoke, have a history of COVID-19 disease, or are not using estradiol-containing contraceptives. In a second sample including both vaccinated and unvaccinated participants (n = 12,579), COVID-19 vaccination alone was not associated with abnormal menstrual cycle parameters, while a history of COVID-19 disease was associated with an increased risk of reporting heavier bleeding, "missed" periods, and inter-menstrual bleeding.

KW - Health sciences

KW - Immunology

KW - Public health

KW - Women's health

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DO - 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106401

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A retrospective case-control study on menstrual cycle changes following COVID-19 vaccination and disease

Abstract / Description of output

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

Access to Document

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Projects

Examining physiological hypoxia at menstruation to define the mechanisms that underpin endometrial resilience and heavy menstrual bleeding

MRC Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh

Centre for Reproductive Resillience

Cite this