Introduction: The purpose of this study was to delve more deeply into the medium and long-term relation between mRNA-based vaccines and changes in menstrual pain, cycle length, and amount of bleeding in Spanish women. Material and Methods: A total of 746 women (63% between 18−30 and 37% between 31−45 years old) participated in the study. A numerical rating scale was used for recording pain intensity, a pictorial chart for menstrual bleeding, and data from menstrual cycle duration, type of vaccine, number of doses and time from vaccination. Results: Sixty-five per cent of the women perceived changes in their menstrual cycle after receiving the vaccines, irrespective of type of vaccine or number of doses; all p values were >0.05. Most of them (n = 316 out of 484) reported more than one alteration in their menstrual cycle. Almost half of the participants had been vaccinated over 5 months (45%), 3−4 months (15%) 2−3 months (26%), and one month or less (13%) before. The percentage of women that reported alterations remained strongly constant across time, p > 0.05, ranging from 64 to 65%. Conclusions: Reported alterations in Spanish women after COVID vaccination remained more than 5 months after the last dose.
Keywords: COVID; menstrual cycle alterations; vaccination; women.