A recent study reveals that non-menstruating women are more likely to experience unforeseen vaginal bleeding after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations. The researchers propose a potential connection to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein present in the vaccines. This study was published in the journal Science Advances.
Following the widespread availability of vaccinations, numerous women reported experiencing heavier menstrual bleeding than usual. Scientists from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo conducted a thorough analysis, particularly focusing on women who do not experience regular periods, including those who have undergone menopause or are using contraceptives.
The team utilized data from an ongoing population health survey called the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study, as reported by Nature. They examined over 21,000 responses from postmenopausal, perimenopausal, and non-menstruating premenopausal women, some of whom were using long-term hormonal contraceptives. The study revealed that 252 postmenopausal women, 1,008 perimenopausal women, and 924 premenopausal women reported unexpected vaginal bleeding.
Approximately half of these cases reported the bleeding occurring within four weeks of receiving the first or second vaccine dose, or both. The researchers observed a 3 to 5 times higher risk of bleeding for premenopausal and perimenopausal women, and a 2 to 3 times higher risk for postmenopausal women.
Nature emphasized that postmenopausal bleeding is typically a serious matter and can potentially indicate cancer. Kate Clancy, a biological anthropologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, highlighted the importance of considering a patient’s vaccination status when evaluating their bleeding incidence.
Source: Science Advances – “Unexpected vaginal bleeding and COVID-19 vaccination in nonmenstruating women”