In the wake of ongoing complaints in numerous forums about women having trouble with their menstrual cycles after receiving a COVID vaccine, the National Institutes of Health has announced it will spend $1.67 million studying the issue.
The NIH noted its concerns in an August 2, 2021, post on their website, and encouraged researchers to investigate reports of menstrual problems after the shots. The agency followed up August 30, 2021, with a formal announcement of the grant monies.
While the NIH pointed out that “numerous factors can cause temporary changes in the menstrual cycle,” they added that “the new projects will build on existing research studies and leverage data from menstrual tracking applications to evaluate the potential impacts of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual health among geographically and racially and ethnically diverse populations. One project will focus specifically on adolescents.”
Five research facilities will conduct the investigations, looking at flow, cycle length, pain and other menstrual issues. “Several projects also seek to unravel the mechanisms underlying the potential effects of COVID-19 vaccines on the menstrual cycle by examining immune and hormonal characteristics in blood, tissue and saliva samples taken before and after COVID-19 vaccination,” the website says.
SOURCES:
New York Post September 7, 2021
NIH August 2, 2021
NIH August 30, 2021