Study: COVID-19 Pandemic Stress Causes Irregular Menstrual Cycles

Covid-19 pandemic has affected our body in many ways, including stress. Stress contributes towards several health effects and can even lead to irregular periods in women. According to a Northwestern Medicine study, it was found that too much stress during the Covid-19 pandemic has caused women to experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle. The results of the study were published in the 'Journal of Women's Health'. 

In the US study, more than 200 women and people who menstruate were observed between July and August 2020. This was done to get a better understanding about stress during the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on their menstrual cycles. Around 54 per cent of the people who were a part of the survey experienced changes in their menstrual cycle after the Covid-19 pandemic started in March 2020. The study found out that people who had higher stress levels during the Covid-19 pandemic were experiencing heavier and long durational bleeding during their periods as compared to the people who had normal stress levels.

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Lead and corresponding author Nicole Woitowich, research assistant professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said, "We know added stress can negatively impact our overall health and well-being, but for women and people who menstruate, stress can also disrupt normal menstrual cycle patterns and overall reproductive health." He further added, "Given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and its significant impact on mental health, this data is unsurprising and confirms many anecdotal reports in the popular press and on social media."

Therefore, added stress can negatively impact your overall health and especially the menstrual cycle in individuals. While concluding, Woitowich said, "We are already seeing the ripple effects of what happens when we fail to consider this important facet of women's health as many are now experiencing menstrual cycle irregularities as a result of the Covid-19 vaccines or Covid-19 infection."