Period changes after Covid jabs are short-lived
Small changes to periods can follow a Covid vaccine but they quickly return to normal, a leading UK menstruation expert has said.
Dr Victoria Male, from Imperial College London, called studies from the US and Norway which tracked women's cycles "reassuring".
And she blamed misinformation for fuelling concerns over infertility. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) says there is no evidence Covid vaccines affect the ability to have children.
The MHRA has received more than 37,000 reports of unexpected vaginal bleeding, heavier and delayed periods after a Covid jab. It has always said there is no evidence of a link to the vaccine, because women's cycles vary naturally - but scientists called for more research.
Dr Male said: "Changes to the menstrual cycle do occur following vaccination - but they are small compared with natural variation and quickly reverse."
Women's concerns arose "from misinformation that Covid-19 vaccines cause female infertility", she said.
And more studies of pregnancy rates in couples trying to conceive were needed to make it clear they do not.
A Covid infection, however, "may reduce sperm count and quality" - and understanding more about that would mean patients could be given the right advice.
Source: BBC News, 27 January 2022