Review, 2022
Did COVID-19 cause changes in women's menstrual cycles and premenstrual syndrome?
The review examined reports of menstrual cycle changes during COVID-19, including bleeding changes and increased premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Insufficient data exists to know how widespread these changes were.
What they did
Literature review of 19 studies examining menstrual cycle alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic using Google Scholar and PubMed databases.
What they found
Reports of menstrual cycle alterations during COVID-19 included enhanced dysmenorrhea (painful periods), changes in menstrual bleeding, increased frequency and intensity of symptoms, and increased premenstrual syndrome.
What it means for you
Some women reported menstrual changes during the pandemic, but lack of data makes it hard to know how many were affected or the long-term effects. This highlights the need for future research. The main limitation is insufficient data on menstrual changes during COVID-19.
19
studies reviewed
About the study
- Original title
- An Overview of the Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic Period on Menstrual Cycle and Premenstrual Syndrome
- Authors
- Dania Ghalayini, Sena Kaplan
- Journal
- Türkiye Sağlık Bilimleri ve Araştırmaları Dergisi
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- COVID-19 pandemic exposure
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.51536/tusbad.1110598
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2026
How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk?
Cohort study, 2023
Do girls with intellectual disability have worse menstrual quality of life?
Survey study, 2021
Is there a reliable tool to measure menstrual distress?
Survey study, 2017
How common are PMS and PMDD, and how much do they affect women's daily life?
Survey study, 2026
Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating?
Survey study, 2025
What are menstrual cycle patterns in elite female basketball players?