Squashing rumours, experts and medical practitioners are trying to relieve concerns that covid-19 vaccines are affecting menstrual cycles and fertility after some people shared their experiences of heavier, painful or delayed periods after taking the vaccine shot. Just a few days after the government had announced expanding the vaccination drive allowing all above 18 years of age to take the vaccines from May 1 and since then a claim has been widely being circulated on social media citing that women should not take Covid-19 vaccines five days before and after their period cycle.
Claiming that women should not take vaccines five days before or after their periods as their "immunity is very less" during periods is widely being forwarded on WhatsApp, which is creating fear amongst women about the vaccine.
To debunk the rumours, the government on Saturday appealed to people to not fall for rumours and get vaccinated. Quashing the rumours, the PIB, in a tweet, said, "#Fake post circulating on social media claims that women should not take #COVID19Vaccine 5 days before and after their menstrual cycle. Don't fall for rumours! All people above 18 should get vaccinated after May 1."
Doctors and activists, too, have quashed the claims, saying periods have nothing to do with the vaccinations.
“So far, no data is linking the vaccines to changes in menstruation,” stated Alice Lu-Culligan and Dr Randi Hutter Epstein at Yale School of Medicine.
“Even if there is a connection, one unusual period is no cause for alarm,” they said.
Taking to Twitter, several doctors and activists have quashed the claims and cleared that vaccines are safe for women during their periods.
Gynaecologist Dr Munjaal V Kapadia said periods have no effect on the vaccine efficacy and appealed to all women to take their jabs as soon as possible. “Some silly WhatsApp rumour has spooked everyone. Your period does not affect the vaccine efficacy. Take it as soon as you can. Spread the word, please,” he wrote on Twitter.
Another medical staff also clarified the air saying that she took both her vaccines during periods. “I got both my doses when I had my periods. I got covid later on because I work in a hospital but recovered without side effects within a week all thanks to the vaccine. Please get vaccinated. There will be very mild side effects but it will save your life,” she mentioned.
An activist said, "Hi menstruators, if you're receiving messages such as people who menstruate should not take the #CovidVaccine during or near their menstrual cycles, please know it's completely crap. There is no such health issue. Please register yourself and bust the myth."
Another doctor, a fertility expert, also stated that there is no valid truth to the rumours.
Dr Vaishali Joshi, obstetrician and gynaecologist at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, Mumbai said that “Covid vaccination does not have any effect on menstruation”.
“There has been no data to validate the claim that Covid-19 vaccine affects the periods and its flow. This has originated from social media where people are sharing their own experiences. All international advisory bodies and organisations have not acknowledged it. Also, it’s important to note that one doesn’t need to reschedule vaccination date depending on the presence of periods,” she adds.
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“So all women above 18 years of age irrespective of their periods, hormonal status, should get vaccinated, apart from pregnant women as currently it’s not recommended in India,” she added.