Effect of COVID-19 vaccine on menstrual experience among females in six Arab countries: A cross sectional study

Sajeda Ghassan Matar^{1

2}, Anas Zakarya Nourelden^{1

3}, Ahmed Assar^{1

4}, Eshak I Bahbah⁵, Areej M Alfryjat⁶, Elfatih A Hasabo^{1

7}, Suzan A Matar⁸, Shatha Nizar Bishtawi⁹, Mays Alhoubani¹⁰, Ahmad Bassam Yahia¹¹, Khaled Mohamed Ragab^{1

12}, Lina Mohammad Salameh¹⁰, Lana Saif Eddin Salameh⁶, Mohamed Sayed Zaazouee^{1

13}, Mohammed Al-Kafarna^{1

14}, Alaa Ahmed Elshanbary^{1

15}, Hossam Waleed Almadhoon^{1

16}, Shahed Toulaq Bakdash^{1

17}, Ola Awad Babiker Adam^{1

18}, Abdelkader Nabeel Malih^{1

17}, Shimaa Abo Elfotoh Habash^{1

19}, Rakia Mohamed Taha Basiouny^{1

20}, Afaf Ahmad^{1

21}, Raghda Mohammed Ahmed Hamid^{1

22}, Balsam Younan Habib^{1

23}, Dalia Nasr Elokl^{1

19}, Hiba Hatim Abdalraheem^{1

24}, Esraa Adel Atia^{1

5}, Nazik Ibrahim Ahmed Yousif^{1

25}, Fida Hussien Al-Ali^{1

26}, Israa Mohammed Alshaer^{1

27}, Fatima Elsidieg Abdulali^{1

28}, Hadil Abu Ayesh^{1

29}, Anwar Yousef Jabari^{1

26}, Raneem Ahmed Egzait^{1

28}, Nameer Amer Abu Munshar^{1

26}, Aseel Ahmad Alkhraibat^{1

30}, Aisha Hasan Ibreerah^{1

28}, Iman A Basheti^{31

32}

Affiliations

¹ International Medical Research Association (IMedRA), Cairo, Egypt.
² School of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt.
⁶ Gynecology Department, Jordanian Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
⁷ Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
⁸ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The University of Jordan, School of Science, Amman, Jordan.
⁹ Faculty of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
¹⁰ Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
¹¹ Faculty of Medicine, Hashemite University, Amman, Jordan.
¹² Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
¹³ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt.
¹⁴ Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University - Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
¹⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
¹⁶ Institute of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
¹⁷ Faculty of Medicine, Kalamoon University, Rif-Dimashq, Syria.
¹⁸ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan.
¹⁹ Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
²⁰ Faculty of Medicine, October 6 University, Giza, Egypt.
²¹ Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
²² Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
²³ Faculty of Medicine, Tartus University, Tartus City, Syria.
²⁴ Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan.
²⁵ Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
²⁶ Faculty of Medicine, Palestine Polytechnic University- Hebron, West Bank, Palestine.
²⁷ Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya.
²⁸ Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya.
²⁹ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University - Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
³⁰ Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
³¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
³² Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 36578138
PMCID: PMC9835440
DOI: 10.1111/irv.13088

Effect of COVID-19 vaccine on menstrual experience among females in six Arab countries: A cross sectional study

Sajeda Ghassan Matar et al. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2023 Jan.

. 2023 Jan;17(1):e13088.

doi: 10.1111/irv.13088. Epub 2022 Dec 28.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ International Medical Research Association (IMedRA), Cairo, Egypt.
² School of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt.
⁶ Gynecology Department, Jordanian Ministry of Health, Amman, Jordan.
⁷ Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
⁸ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The University of Jordan, School of Science, Amman, Jordan.
⁹ Faculty of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
¹⁰ Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
¹¹ Faculty of Medicine, Hashemite University, Amman, Jordan.
¹² Faculty of Medicine, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.
¹³ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Assuit, Egypt.
¹⁴ Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University - Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
¹⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
¹⁶ Institute of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
¹⁷ Faculty of Medicine, Kalamoon University, Rif-Dimashq, Syria.
¹⁸ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan.
¹⁹ Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
²⁰ Faculty of Medicine, October 6 University, Giza, Egypt.
²¹ Faculty of Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
²² Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
²³ Faculty of Medicine, Tartus University, Tartus City, Syria.
²⁴ Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan.
²⁵ Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
²⁶ Faculty of Medicine, Palestine Polytechnic University- Hebron, West Bank, Palestine.
²⁷ Faculty of Medicine, Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya.
²⁸ Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya.
²⁹ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University - Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine.
³⁰ Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
³¹ Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.
³² Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 36578138
PMCID: PMC9835440
DOI: 10.1111/irv.13088

Abstract

Background: There have been varying reports on the potential occurrence and severity of changes to menstruation including the median cycle length, days of bleeding, bleeding heaviness, and menstrual pain, following receipt of COVID-19 vaccinations. We aimed to assess potential postvaccination menstrual changes in women residing in the Middle East.

Methods: We implemented a cross-sectional online survey-based study. Data about the participants' demographic characteristics, menstruation experience, and vaccination status were collected and analyzed among six Arab countries.

Results: Among 4942 menstruating females included in this study, females who had received one or more doses of COVID-19 vaccination reported a higher frequency of back pain, nausea, tiredness, pelvic pain with periods, unprescribed analgesics use, and passage of loose stools. They also reported higher scores describing average and worst menstrual pain. Fully vaccinated females reported heavier flow and more days of bleeding.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that COVID-19 vaccine may have an effect on menstruation in terms of menstrual pain and bleeding heaviness. The evidence needs to be further investigated in longitudinal studies.

Keywords: COVID-19; cross-sectional; menstrual health; menstruation; vaccine; women's health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

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Effect of COVID-19 vaccine on menstrual experience among females in six Arab countries: A cross sectional study

Affiliations

Effect of COVID-19 vaccine on menstrual experience among females in six Arab countries: A cross sectional study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

References

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical