Do vaccines against Covid-19 have an impact on the menstrual cycle and periods?
Dr. Olivier Jourdain. In early January 2022, the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM) published work on this subject: out of more than 90 million doses administered (all vaccines combined), 3870 gynecological “events” were reported. The majority of these “events” were period delays.
Rest assured: 3870 “events” out of more than 90 million doses is very few and in no way constitutes a “signal” – clearly, this is not a cause for concern.
To clarify these “events”, studies have been launched in France and around the world, particularly in Israel where women’s health is documented. To date, researchers have noticed that women vaccinated against Covid-19 (mainly through messenger RNA vaccines) had, on average, a 24-hour longer menstrual cycle.
Please note: to date, it is not possible to declare that “anti-Covid vaccines modify the length of the menstrual cycle”. The causal link has not been demonstrated by any scientific study. So, if your period is slow to come after vaccination, don’t assume that “it’s because of the vaccine”: the best thing is to take a pregnancy test without waiting too long, because pregnancy remains the number 1 suspect…
Can the anti-Covid-19 vaccination harm female or male fertility?
Dr. Olivier Jourdain. It is a rumor that persists in antivax circles: vaccines (whether against measles or against Covid-19) would harm the fertility of women as well as men.
This question has been studied extensively, in particular by our Israeli colleagues who, since they started vaccinating against Covid-19 earlier, are a few months ahead in terms of hindsight and medical data.
Result: vaccination against Covid-19 (regardless of the vaccine used) does not modify the biological parameters of fertility in men or women. Thus, no change in AMH (the main indicator of ovulation) is observed in women vaccinated against infection by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, nor any change in the spermogram in vaccinated men. It’s very reassuring.
From a gynecological point of view, does the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus harm women’s health?
Dr. Olivier Jourdain. To date, what we know is that women who have not been vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus are at increased risk of pregnancy complications, especially during the third trimester.
Indeed: in the third trimester of pregnancy, the pulmonary ventilatory mechanics are disturbed, there is a respiratory gene. This is favorable ground for the development of severe Covid-19: however, vaccination considerably reduces this risk. Pregnant women who have not been vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 infection are particularly exposed to a greater risk of prematurity and perinatal mortality.
Hence the importance of getting vaccinated without delay, even during pregnancy, after consulting the gynecologist…
Thanks to Dr. Olivier Jourdain, gynecologist-obstetrician at the Jean Villar Polyclinic (ELSAN group – Bordeaux) and author of Investigation in the land of antivax (ed. Plon).
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