EVALUATION OF MENSTRUAL CYCLE CHANGES AMONG WOMEN IN SHAHREKORD DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The COVID-19, a global pandemic, has affected populations worldwide and caused various health issues. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on changes in the menstrual cycle.
Materials and methods. In this cross-sectional study included 314 women aged 18 to 45 residing in Shahrekord City, Iran, between 2022 and 2023. A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, vaccination history, COVID-19 infection history, and menstrual cycle patterns. Data was gathered via social media. After collection, the data were entered into SPSS version 22 and analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical methods.
Results and discussion. Among patients, 62.7% of participants reported no change in menstrual bleeding volume after contracting COVID-19. In comparison, only 23% of individuals reported an increase or decrease in their bleeding volume after the infection. Regarding duration of menstruation, 71.3% of participants had no change in the duration of their menstruation after contracting COVID-19. There was also a significant difference in the volume of menstrual bleeding (P=0.005), duration of menstruation (P=0.006), spotting (P=0.013), interval between cycles (P=0.0001), menstrual pain (P=0.001), and premenstrual symptoms (P=0.0001).
Conclusion. The findings of the present study show that the severity of COVID-19 is significantly associated with alteration in the menstrual cycle.