A researcher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign posted April 7 that she was doing a survey on changes to women's menstrual cycles after the vaccine. Initially, associate professor Kathryn Clancy anticipated that perhaps 500 or so would respond.
So far, though, more than 25,000 women have filled out her survey. Meanwhile, various vaccine and medical watch boards are seeing similar comments, and gynecology experts are offering a variety of explanations.
“The idea that a vaccine might affect a woman's cycle is a tough one to explain from a biological standpoint,” Health, an online health website said. It could be coincidental. It could be a reaction to stress or physiological responses that could occur after any vaccine.
One doctor, Mark Turrentine, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, also pointed out that menstrual disturbances were not reported as side effects in the clinical trials. On the other hand, women’s health expert Dr. Jennifer Wider told Health that “there just isn't enough data to show that the vaccine could impact menstrual cycles.”
“Could the vaccine interact with the body's hormones or are there other factors at play like stress? That remains to be seen," she said.
SOURCES:
Chicago Tribune April 20, 2021
Health Institute Illinois Survey
Health April 6, 2021