The COVID-19 vaccine and menstrual cycles
Does the COVID-19 vaccine affect your menstrual cycle? Let’s find out.
By: Caity Reverand
After almost two years in a global pandemic, there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. With so much information being discovered about the COVID-19 vaccine, it’s hard to know what to trust. Today, Stix is here to set the record straight on the COVID-19 vaccine and how it can affect your menstrual cycle.
Longer menstrual cycles after getting the COVID-19 vaccine
If you received any of the COVID-19 vaccinations and noticed your menstrual cycle lasting longer than usual, you’re not alone. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:
The National Institute of Health found that women who received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine showed an increase in their cycle length by around one day compared to women who were not vaccinated. This means vaccinated women had a longer time between bleeding, but they didn’t notice an increase in the number of days they bled for.
A normal menstrual cycle typically lasts 24–38 days, with most lasting around 28 days. A menstrual period can last up to 8 days and still fall within the normal range. The increase seen in menstrual cycle length following the COVID-19 vaccine is well within this range. This increase in cycle length hasn’t been associated with increased symptoms or days of bleeding, but more research is needed to determine if there is any correlation.
What’s causing longer menstrual cycles after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
As for why the vaccine has these effects on women’s cycles, researchers haven’t found the exact cause. Since the reproductive and immune systems are linked, researchers believe that immune cells affected by the vaccine can trigger a change in your natural cycle. We do not know thus far and this effect can be different for everyone — new evidence is coming out that it may have the potential to affect female fertility.
You may have heard of people noticing their periods being heavier or lasting longer after receiving the COVID vaccine. Some even reported getting their period after not having it for years. There is not enough evidence to link these changes to the vaccine. If you notice your menstrual cycle becoming a problem and affecting your health, specifically after the COVID vaccine, talk to your primary care physician. You should also report any changes in your health post-vaccine to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
