As more and more women worldwide are being vaccinated against COVID, one side effect is getting more attention: the effect it has on menstruation.

Although this potentially affects half of humanity, the effect has hardly been researched (thanks to Gender Health Gap). Just recently, Dr Kate Clancy, a medical anthropologist, shared on Twitter her personal experience with an unusually heavy period after her vaccination. Others then came forward with similar experiences.

To help close the Gender Health Gap and promote vaccination readiness, Womanizer conducted a short survey with their international tester panel (the MasturbaTEAM) on the topic. The participants (552 people) were menstruating people who had already received their vaccination (first or second shot). The result: one in five confirmed that the vaccination had an effect on the menstrual cycle. In 31 percent of these, the period was heavier than usual, and 29 percent said their period was more painful than usual. For about 22 percent, the start of menstruation was delayed by a few days. In the open feedback field, some also reported spotting or a longer period.

This is no reason to panic but to avoid misinformation or uncertainty among those affected, information should be provided about this possible side effect of vaccination. In addition to the ever-improving pandemic response, however, there is other good news.

What to do about period pain?

Womanizer found last year with the Menstrubation Study (menstruation + masturbation) – the first clinical study worldwide on period pain and masturbation – that both the intensity and frequency of period pain can be reduced by masturbation. Ninety percent of the participants recommended masturbation for pain relief. Regular masturbation also had a long-term pain-relieving effect.

Images: Envato