The effect of COVID-19 infection on the menstrual cycle: a cross-sectional investigation in the MENA region

Abstract

Due to the paucity of literature on COVID-19 and menstrual irregularities, this study aims to investigate the effect of COVID-19 infection on menstrual changes in premenopausal women within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A cross-sectional investigation utilizing a self-administered online questionnaire was conducted between July and August of 2021. A total of 499 females participated in our survey with a mean age of 35.2 ± 8.4 years. The majority of participants had regular periods (74.1%) and were disease free (81.6%). Mild, moderate, and severe symptoms were documented in 58.9%, 26.7%, and 3.0% of the studied cohort, respectively. Females experienced significantly more menstrual abnormalities after COVID-19 infection than during the pandemic prior to infection (p < 0.001). Those females were significantly older (p = 0.031), had more severe symptoms (p = 0.029), and were more likely to have experienced irregularities during the epidemic (p < 0.001). COVID-19 infection seems to induce menstrual abnormalities in premenopausal females. These abnormalities could manifest as increased frequency or severity and are associated with older women.