More than 30,000 women in the United Kingdom reported that their menstrual cycle changed after getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Now, Dr. Victoria Male, a reproductive immunologist from Imperial College London, has written in the British Medical Journal that while these changes are “safe” and “short-lived,” an investigation as to why this happens is crucial.
“Robust research into this possible adverse reaction remains critical to the overall success of the vaccination program. One important lesson is that the effects of medical interventions on menstruation should not be an afterthought in future research,” Dr. Male wrote.
According to the women who reported changes in their menstrual cycle, there was either a heavier flow or a delayed period. The statements of the affected women were made through U.K.’s Yellow Card scheme, and such scheme allows people to report the side effects of medications or vaccinations voluntarily, Business Insider reported.
Dr. Male said that the changes that the women are reporting are due to an immune response and pose no danger to one’s body.
An investigation was already launched by the National Institute of Health in the United States and allotted $1.67 million for the research.
In the U.S., the first time reports appeared about the possible effects of COVID-19 vaccines on a woman’s reproductive health was in April through a post at “The Lily.” The Lily wrote about the experience of 45-year-old Shana Clauson, and she said that after getting the shot, she noticed an irregularity in her monthly period. She had her menstrual cycle earlier than expected, and it seemed to be of a heavier flow than normal. A Twitter threat in the U.S. showed many women had the same experience with Clauson.
On another note, other available data said that women getting the COVID-19 vaccine haven’t seen adverse fertility and pregnancy effects.
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