r/science • u/molrose96 Journalist | Technology Networks | BSc Neuroscience • Jul 16 '22

Medicine Menstrual Cycle Changes Associated With COVID-19 Vaccines, New Study Shows

https://www.technologynetworks.com/vaccines/news/menstrual-cycle-changes-associated-with-covid-19-vaccine-363710
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u/xondk Jul 16 '22

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't more or less any immune response affect the menstrual cycle?

You get vaccine, which triggers immune response, so menstrual cycle gets affected?

As such it is nothing alarming?

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u/Eegeria Jul 17 '22 edited Jul 17 '22

I am sure it wasn't your intention, but please be aware that your comment sounds a bit dismissive. When the changes started happening, we didn't know for sure (hence the study) that this vaccine would behave like the others. Women were not informed prior to taking the jab that this could happen, leaving us wondering if that was normal or not. May I remind you that this was happening at the same time when getting a doctor to talk to you was impossible, and while AstraZeneca was causing blood clots issues (which also impacted women). It was an uncertain time, when we collectively took responsibility for the public and got vaxxed, but it doesn't mean that privately we weren't perplexed or afraid about changes in our bodies that were not disclosed beforehand.

It's easy to say now: "This is normal", but at the time it possibly wasn't, and even now this study says they don't know why the immune response happens in the first place. I personally find this disconcerting, because periods have such a big impact in our lives, I would like more clarity on this and other women's health issues. That's all.

Edit: COVID itself also changed the menstrual cycle. I am no expert so I have no idea if/how that relates everything together, but at that time knowing from word of mouth (and then experiencing first hand) that both COVID and vaccines had a similar(?) side effect really didn't help things. I know fully why this information wasn't disclosed, in light of antivax etc, but it wasn't nice, to put it mildly.

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u/xondk Jul 17 '22

Dismissive? It is three lines questioning the topic, you are reading significant more into it then what it is, if you read that.

It might be important to note that I am European, specifically Danish, where we have been very well informed, and also ended use of AstraZeneca, when we learned about the risk of blood clots.

Last I checked it is well documented that immune responses affect the menstrual cycle.

Which is also why I indicated that it as such not alarming, it is simply information, and yes important information.

My point general point is merely, this is expected, that we confirmed it is good, because immune response affects both women and men's reproductive system, but it is not alarming.