Stress of COVID-19 pandemic caused irregular menstrual cycles, study
found

Date:
September 29, 2021
Source:
Northwestern University
Summary:
Women and people who menstruate experienced irregularities in their
menstrual cycle because of increased stress during the COVID-19
pandemic, a new study has found.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Women and people who menstruate experienced irregularities in their
menstrual cycle because of increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic,
a new Northwestern Medicine study has found.


==========================================================================
This is the first U.S. study to evaluate the impact of stress on peoples' periods.

The study surveyed more than 200 women and people who menstruate in
the United States between July and August 2020 in order to better
understand how stress during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their
menstrual cycles. More than half (54%) of the individuals in the study experienced changes in their menstrual cycle following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Individuals who experienced higher levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to experience heavier menstrual bleeding and
a longer duration of their period, compared to individuals with moderate
stress levels, the study found.

The study, "Impact of Stress on Menstrual Cyclicity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey Study," was published September 28 in the Journal of
Women's Health. It provides a better understanding of how the COVID-19
pandemic has impacted women's mental and reproductive health, the study
authors said.

"We know added stress can negatively impact our overall health and
well-being, but for women and people who menstruate, stress can also
disrupt normal menstrual cycle patterns and overall reproductive health,"
said lead and corresponding author Nicole Woitowich, research assistant professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg
School of Medicine.

Prior research has found that menstrual cycle irregularities are often
reported by women who experience mood disorders such as anxiety and
depression, or by those who are facing acute life stressors such as
natural disasters, displacement, famine or defection.

"Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and its significant impact
on mental health, this data is unsurprising and confirms many anecdotal
reports in the popular press and on social media," Woitowich said.

Since the onset of the pandemic, social media has been one of the major platforms where women and people who menstruate could share questions or concerns about their menstrual cycles. Only recently have these concerns
been addressed by the biomedical research community.

"Reproductive health should not be ignored in the context of COVID-19," Woitowich said. "We are already seeing the ripple effects of what
happens when we fail to consider this important facet of women's health
as many are now experiencing menstrual cycle irregularities as a result
of the COVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 infection." Other Northwestern
co-authors include Dr. Kara Goldman, associate professor of obstetrics
and gynecology (reproductive endocrinology and infertility) at Feinberg,
and former Feinberg students Noelle Ozimek, Karen Velez, Hannah Anvari
and Lauren Butler.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Northwestern_University. Original
written by Kristin Samuelson. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Noelle Ozimek, Karen Velez, Hannah Anvari, Lauren Butler, Kara N.

Goldman, Nicole C. Woitowich. Impact of Stress on Menstrual
Cyclicity During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Survey Study. Journal
of Women's Health, 2021; DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2021.0158 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210929155707.htm

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