Introduction
COVID-19 infection started in December 2019, and since then it has
affected almost every aspect of lives globally. Studies have reported
that COVID-19 infection can affect every human organ including
reproductive organs causing widespread inflammation, vasoconstriction,
hypercoagulability, and edema.1-3 To combat this
dreadful disease, numerous vaccines were introduced within a short span
of 12-18 months of the onset of the pandemic.4 The
adult vaccination against COVID-19 started at the end of 2020 and early
2021 worldwide and around three billion doses were administered globally
by mid-2021, hoping to end this pandemic at the
earliest.5 The two indigenously developed COVID-19
vaccines approved for use in India are COVISHILED and
COVAXIN.6 The common side effects of these vaccines
included injection site pain, fever, and myalgia with no severe adverse
effects.7 The common side effects of other COVID-19
vaccines used in different countries were soreness of the arm, fever,
chills, myalgia, headache, fatigue, and rarely thrombosis and
anaphylaxis.8,9 Recent studies from the United States
of America and other countries have reported temporary changes in the
menstrual cycle including increased cycle length, and dysmenorrhea
following COVID-19 vaccination.10,11
Most of the reproductive age women suffer from some kinds of
premenstrual symptoms including physical discomfort, mood changes, body
pains, etc. Of these 5–8% suffer from a severe premenstrual syndrome
that affects their day-to-day activities.12 The
menstrual cycle reflects the general health status of women and should
be considered a vital sign of health.13 Despite this,
the impact of COVID-19 vaccines on the menstrual cycle in women and
girls getting vaccinated against COVID-19 infection was not considered
and hence, not included in the list of side effects.14The present study was the first of its kind in India that was conducted
on a large sample from different states of India to investigate the
impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the menstrual cycle and pre- and
post-menstrual symptoms in women of the reproductive age group and to
establish the correlation with the vaccine type.