MENSTRUAL PATTERN CHANGES AMONG WOMEN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN IBADAN, A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious respiratory disease characterised by a spectrum of symptoms ranging from asymptomatic to severe. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns were associated with varying degrees of stress among individuals. The hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis, which regulates the menstrual cycle, may be significantly affected by stress.

To investigate the effect of COVID-19 infection and pandemic lockdown on the menstrual pattern of women.

A cross-sectional study of women exposed to COVID-19 was conducted using a questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and menstrual patterns. Participants were categorised based on their COVID-19 test results. Analyses were conducted using STATA (StataCorp L.L.C.) version 15.0 and at a significance level of p < 0.05.

Among the 218 respondents, only 93 (42.7%) had testing for COVID- 19. Among those who tested, only 36 (16.5% of all participants) tested positive for COVID-19 infection. Majority of respondents (80.7%) had regular menses before pandemic lockdown. About 1 in 5 (21.4%) respondents reported changes in menstrual pattern. The odds of experiencing changes in menstrual pattern was not significantly higher among women who tested positive for SARS-CoV2 (aOR = 1.71, 95% CI: 0.47 - 6.23). Extremes of reproductive age was associated with menstrual irregularities before the pandemic and changes in menstrual pattern during the lockdown.

Irregularities in menstrual pattern remains common especially in the early and late reproductive years. Changes in menstrual pattern was common among respondents during the pandemic lockdown. Infection with SARS-CoV2 virus was not associated changes in menstrual pattern during the pandemic.