Stress Induced Menstrual Cycle Irregularities AMIDST the Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The global pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has yielded a variety of stressors (psychosocial) for the population, particularly women. The elevated stress may not only affect the wellbeing and health (physical and mental) of women, but also the reproductive status and menstrual cyclicity. Objective: To determine the plausibility and mechanism via which stress (emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic) has impacted women's menstrual cyclicity. Methodology: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from Sept 2020 to August 2021 upon a randomly selected sample of 1450 Pakistani women (aged 18 to 40 years). The data was collected using an online questionnaire containing enquiries pertaining to basic biodata, sociodemographic details, lifestyle patterns, medical & reproductive history, and stress score measured via the COVID-19 Stress Scales (CSS). The data obtained, was analyzed using SPSS v. 21.0. Results: Among the females, 741 reported regular menstrual cycles, while the remaining 709 reported a disturbed menstrual cyclicity. The commonest changes included early or late start of the cycle (227), more aggravated menstrual symptoms (e.g., cramping, discharge and low back pain) (205), and menorrhagia (277). Individuals with aggravated symptoms of ill-timed cycles scored higher (cumulatively as average scores) on the CSS compared to their counterparts (p < 0.05). Conclusion: After careful consideration of the results, it can be concluded that a significant association exists between the stress (emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic) and menstrual irregularity (p < 0.05). Stress relief may help alleviate menstrual irregularities in the current scenario.