A British immunologist calls for a large-scale study of the vaccine’s effects on the menstrual cycle. According to the fertility expert, however, there is no cause for concern.
Many women and people with a uterus experience changes in their menstrual cycle after receiving the Covid-19 vaccination. Those affected report irregular or increased bleeding and sometimes more severe menstrual pain. However, detailed investigations into the phenomenon have not yet been carried out or completed. The British immunologist Victoria Male is now calling for the research to be taken more seriously.
Male works at Imperial College London and is a fertility expert. There is no evidence that the corona vaccination affects fertility. After thousands of reports on changed menstrual cycles, she now appeals to her colleagues to investigate them in more detail. But there is no reason to worry.
Corona vaccination: more examinations for less fear
In an opinion piece in the medical journal “The BMJ”, Male writes that the investigation of the cases would provide better clarification and less false information about the vaccination. “The vaccination doubts of young women are largely driven by false claims in which the Covid-19 vaccine is associated with problems with receptivity,” says the immunologist: “If changes in the menstrual cycle are not extensively investigated, this can fuel these fears. “
However, this does not mean that the vaccination actually has an effect on receptivity, according to Male. There is no medical evidence for this thesis, she says. And there is also a simple explanation for the change in the menstrual cycle: The effect is not caused by the vaccine itself, but by the body’s immune reaction. In fact, even colds or stress can affect the cycle – including the coronavirus itself.
Over 30,000 reports of changes in menstrual cycles in the UK
Male justifies her request mainly with a lack of knowledge: “If a connection between the vaccination and the changed menstruation is proven, those affected can better track and understand possible effects in the cycle,” she writes. But that requires “clear and confidential” information. Research in this area should therefore not be seen as a sideline for supposedly more important investigations.
The British health authority has reportedly received over 30,000 reports of period symptoms after the third Covid-19 vaccination so far. Affected people would have had their periods later or heavier than usual or observed intermenstrual bleeding.
In relation to the total vaccination doses given, these changes occur less frequently than it looks: a total of more than 47 million vaccine doses have been given to women in Great Britain so far. It also excludes non-female persons with uterus who can also have menstrual cramps.
