Fact Check | Should Women Take Covid Vaccine When They Are Menstruating?

On May 1st, those above the age of 18 will be eligible to take the vaccine, registration on which begin on April 24th 2021. Already there are new rumours suggesting that vaccines are unsafe for females on their periods.

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New Delhi: A post has been circulating all across social media, stating that women who menstruating or five days before and after the menstrual cycle shouldn't get the Covid-19 vaccination. This information is false say doctors. 

Fertility expert and gynaecologist Dr. Yuvraj took to social media to debunk this claim and called it a way to 'stigmatize periods'. Dr. Yuvraj further said that there is "no science as of now that says that women or girls shouldn't take the vaccines on these days." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Dr.Yuvraj | Fertility Expert (@doctoryuvi)

A Health article said that, "neither the CDC nor the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) lists being on your period as a reason to put off the vaccine".

In a New York Times article Alice Lu-Culligan and Dr Randi Hutter Epstein at Yale School of Medicine wrote, “So far, there’s no data linking the vaccines to changes in menstruation." They further said, “even if there is a connection, one unusual period is no cause for alarm.”

How the rumour started:

The reason why this post has come up is that some people have noticed an irregularity during their period and talked about it on social media which fuelled conspiracy theorists to fuel the fire. 

In a Guardian article, Dr Jen Gunter, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and pain medicine physician was quoted, "I suspect the awful people who invented this lie saw the reports of menstrual irregularities post Covid-19 vaccine online and decided to warp it for their campaign of chaos". 

Dr. Yuvraj further stated that vaccines are open for pregnant/ lactating women too, five days off periods is unlikely to have any effect in your body. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology also released statements saying that there is no evidence that Covid-19 vaccines affect fertility. The organization also encouraged pregnant and lactating women to get the vaccine as more evidence has proven it safe and effective for both mother and child.

Vaccines are an essential tool to combat Covid-19 and such rumours can make people hesitant or avoid it altogether putting their and those around them lives at risk. If you are under some medication, have a history of allergic reactions, are suffering from a chronic disease you should consult with your doctor before taking the vaccine.  

According to WHO, 'there are many strict protections in place to help ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Like all vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines are going through a rigorous, multi-stage testing process, including large (phase III) trials that involve tens of thousands of people. These trials, which include some groups at high risk for COVID-19 (certain groups like pregnant and lactating women were not included in vaccine trials), are specifically designed to identify any common side effects or other safety concerns.'

Side Effects:

Certain side effects can be expected post a vaccine. For Covishield, possible adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) are injection site tenderness, injection site pain, headache, fatigue, myalgia, malaise, pyrexia, chills and arthralgia, and nausea whereas for Covaxin, AEFIs include injection site pain, headache, fatigue, fever, body ache, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, dizziness-giddiness, tremor, sweating, cold, cough and injection site swelling.