Did the pandemic make your periods unpredictable? You’re not alone!

Whether you were infected or not, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected all of our lives in one way or another. But for women and people who menstruate, there has been an added layer of the impact that often goes unnoticed.

Researchers in the U.S. have found that more than half (54%) of a group of people surveyed reported changes in their menstrual cycle following the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

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Published in the Journal of Women's Health, the study of around 200 participants found that higher stress levels during the outbreak were linked to a higher likelihood of heavier menstrual bleeding and a longer duration of the period.

The team says their findings come as no surprise given the pandemic’s impact on our mental health. In fact, the results confirm what many anecdotal reports, social media comments and informal surveys have been saying all along.

They add that the ripple effects of ignoring women’s health are already being observed with hordes of menstruators reporting period irregularities as a result of Covid-19 vaccines and/or infection.

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