Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025
Collection, Isolation, and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Human Endocervical Samples
Published on: July 6, 2014
Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Menstrual Irregularities, Bleeding Patterns, and Cycle Duration: A Systematic
Ganesh Bushi1,2, Abhay M Gaidhane3, Nasir Vadia4
1Chitkara Centre for Research and Development Chitkara University Himachal Pradesh India.
Background:
COVID-19 vaccination has raised concerns regarding its potential effects on women's reproductive health, particularly menstrual irregularities. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual disturbances, bleeding patterns, and cycle duration among women of reproductive age.
Methods:
A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science was conducted up to April 11, 2025. The study protocol was registered with the PROSPERO (CRD42024500832). Studies reporting menstrual changes postvaccination in women aged 13-50 were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Meta-analyses using random-effects models were conducted in R (version 4.3), with heterogeneity assessed using the I² statistic.
Results:
Out of 586 records, 43 studies comprising 747,763 women met the inclusion criteria. The pooled RR for menstrual disturbances in vaccinated versus unvaccinated women was 1.03 (95% CI: 0.67-1.57; p = 0.88), indicating no significant association. Excluding one outlier increased the RR to 1.14 (95% CI: 0.97-1.34; p = 0.08). The overall pooled prevalence of menstrual disturbances postvaccination was 34% (95% CI: 26%-43%). Among vaccinated women, lighter bleeding was reported in 12.6%, heavier bleeding in 15.1%, irregular menstruation in 19.0%, and regular cycles in 56.6%. Shortened cycles occurred in 8.5%, longer cycles in 9.3%, amenorrhea (≥ 24 days) in 9.2%, and infrequent cycles (> 38 days) in 11.0%. All analyses showed high heterogeneity (I² = 98%-100%). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of findings, though Egger's test indicated potential publication bias (p = 0.0384).
Conclusion:
COVID-19 vaccination was not significantly associated with an increased risk of menstrual disturbances. Although minor changes such as altered bleeding patterns and cycle length were observed in some women, the overall impact on menstrual health was minimal.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH...
01:24Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
01:22Birth Control Methods
01:19The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual phase occurs from days 1 to 5 and involves the shedding of the stratum functionalis, as a...
01:30Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
01:23Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...