Investigate the Relationship Between Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine and Menstrual Disorders among Females of Reproductive Age in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND

There are many physical side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, including unexpected changes occurring in menstrual bleeding. This study aimed to assess the relation between the COVID-19 vaccine and disorders in menstruation among females of reproductive age.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Participants were recruited from a nonprobability snowball sampling targeted at females who are living in Jeddah city between March 2022 and August 2022, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A quantitative cross-sectional design was utilized to conduct the study, a nonexperimental design based on a single observation point. The sample size is estimated by the G*Power software to be 180, considering missed cases, it increased to 197.

RESULTS

Regarding menstrual changes, n = 86 (43.65%) experienced a delay, and about one-third reported an earlier menstruation cycle. A significant relationship is observed between nationality, occupation, and changes in period (t = 3.89, P < 0.001 and t = -2.94, P < 0.004). There is no significant difference in the occurrence of complications among the different vaccine types.

CONCLUSIONS

Receiving the COVID-19 vaccine was strongly linked with unexpected disturbance in menstruation among the studied group, from simple menstrual irregulates to reported amenorrhea after receiving the booster doses. However, the occurrence of menstrual cycle delays was not linked to the vaccine type. Further studies should be done to investigate each type of vaccine specifically to determine if the type of vaccine affects the reproductive function generally not only the menstrual cycle, in a larger survey for more generalizability.