ArticlePloS one2022
The effect of COVID-19 vaccination on the menstrual pattern and mental health of the medical students: A mixed-methods study from a low and middle-income country.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Susceptibility to Infection and Impact of COVID-19 Vaccines on Symptoms of Women with Endometriosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Available Evidence.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Association between depression, sleep disturbance, and irregular menstrual cycles: insights from the NHANES 2005-2018.BMC women's health · 2025Article
- Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Menstrual Irregularities, Bleeding Patterns, and Cycle Duration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Health science reports · 2025Review
- Consensus recommendations for measuring the impact of contraception on the menstrual cycle in contraceptive clinical trials.Contraception · 2025Article
- Anti-COVID-19 Vaccination Alters the Menstrual Cycle and Dose Accumulation Enhances the Effect.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Article
- The Evaluation of Menstrual Alterations in Mexican Women After Vaccination Against COVID-19.Cureus · 2024Article
- COVID-19 vaccine side effects on menstrual disturbances among Iranian women.New microbes and new infections · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo assess the effect of COVID-19 vaccination on menstrual patterns and mental health of medical students and to explore the students' perspective regarding this effect. MATERIALS AND
methodsThis mixed-method study was conducted on the medical and dental students of the private and public sector institutions of Peshawar from September 2021 to March 2022. A Menstrual symptom questionnaire (MSQ) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) were used. This was followed by qualitative interviews with the students who faced problems in their menstruation after the COVID-19 vaccination.
resultsA total of 953 students were included, with a mean age of 20.67±1. 56 years. More than half (n = 512, 53.7%) experienced menstrual cycle abnormalities post-vaccination. The majority having disturbances in their menstrual cycle had significantly higher levels of anxiety (p = 0.000). Results on the menstrual symptom questionnaire, anxiety, and depression subtype of HADS showed a negative and statistically significant relationship with changes after COVID-19 vaccination (p<0.05). In the qualitative interviews, 10 (58.8%) students each had problems with frequency and flow, followed by 7 (41.2%) students, who had dysmenorrhea. Seven (41.2%) consulted a gynecologist for management. The majority (n = 14, 82.4%) stated that these issues had an adverse impact on their mental health and almost half (n = 8, 47.1%) suggested consulting a gynecologist while facing such situations.
conclusionThis study showed the impact of the COVID-19 vaccine on women`s menstrual patterns and subsequent mental health status. Although the majority of the students experienced menstrual cycle abnormalities and subsequent mental health adversities post COVID-19 vaccination but these were temporary and self-limiting and were attributed to the psychological impact of the vaccination. Therefore, it is imperative to alert health care professionals about possible side effects and prior counseling is expected to play an important role in this context.
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