OVER 30,000 British women have reported having disruption to their periods following their Covid jabs.
While the changes have naturally sparked worry, medical experts have been quick to reassure women these should be “short-lived”.
Dr Victoria Male, a reproductive specialist at Imperial College London, wrote in the BMJ the link between changes and the vaccines is plausible.
She called for it to be probed, after nearly 35,000 women logged they noticed a difference in their cycles and suffered with more painful periods.
The expert warned: “Vaccine hesitancy among young women is largely driven by false claims that Covid-19 vaccines could harm their chances of future pregnancy.
“Failing to thoroughly investigate reports of menstrual changes after vaccination is likely to fuel these fears.
“If a link between vaccination and menstrual changes is confirmed, this information will allow people to plan for potentially altered cycles.
“Clear and trusted information is particularly important for those who rely on being able to predict their menstrual cycles to either achieve or avoid pregnancy.”
Experts agree getting vaccinated far outweighs any small risk of an adverse side effect.
There have been incidents where people have suffered a serious reaction to their Covid jab, but this has been a very small percentage of those vaccinated.
Reacting badly to any vaccination is very rare, with any side effects usually minimal.
Changes to the menstrual cycle are not listed as a possible side effect from the coronavirus vaccines.
But as of September 2, more than 30,000 women reported a change in their usual period.
Women have logged experiencing a disruption after having Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca jabs.
Dr Male added: “It is likely to be a result of the immune response to vaccination rather than a specific vaccine component”.
She explained: “Biologically plausible mechanisms linking immune stimulation with menstrual changes include immunological influences on the hormones driving the menstrual cycle or effects mediated by immune cells in the lining of the uterus, which are involved in the cyclical build-up and breakdown of this tissue.
“Research exploring a possible association between Covid-19 vaccines and menstrual changes may also help understand the mechanism.”
Most people find that their period returns to normal the following cycle and, importantly, there is no evidence that Covid-19 vaccination adversely affects fertility.
The MHRA states that its surveillance data does not support a link between changes to menstrual periods and Covid-19 vaccines, since the number of reports is low in relation to both the number of people vaccinated and the prevalence of menstrual disorders generally.
Dr Jo Mountfield, Vice President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “We understand that any changes to periods following a COVID-19 vaccine can be concerning.
“We want to reassure women that any changes generally revert back to normal after one or two cycles. We would encourage anyone who experiences heavy bleeding that is unusual for them, especially after the menopause, to speak to a healthcare professional.
“We support calls for more research to understand why women may be experiencing changes to their menstrual cycle after having the vaccine.”
