'Enough evidence': Covid vaccines impacted women's reproductive health

By Deepika*
In 2024, the news outlets have suddenly started reporting about covid vaccine side effects in a very extensive manner. Sadly, the damage is already done.
A recent study conducted by 6 AIIMS reported that the corona vaccine worsened menstrual cycle and caused side effects including increase/decrease in bleeding, and new symptoms like headache, body weakness, aches etc. This new research according to this news has been accepted by the World Health Organisation as side effects of the covid vaccine. A second phase of the research will assess the long-term side effects.
However, issues with menstrual irregularities have been raised right after the vaccine rollout in 2021 and discussed in small circles, forums, chat rooms and social media but most of the concerns have been dismissed as minor or rare or temporary as acknowledging these as side effects would lead to vaccine hesitancy. It was deliberately hidden that clinical trials of the covid 19 vaccines did not collect information regarding menstrual cycles.
One of the surveys done in India showed that 15 women out of 25 women experienced changes in their menstrual cycles after taking the vaccine. Change in cycles was not the only issue, there were issues with heavy bleeding, delay in cycle and other irregularities reported in India and around the world. Some of the women were diagnosed with PCOS and any vaccine connection was dismissed. Other reasons attributed to the irregularities were stress and psychological reasons. Many menopausal women also spoke about heavy bleeding after the vaccinations.
Reports from different countries, social media handles showed that the Covid vaccines triggered auto immune diseases like Graves’ disease besides others.
The U.K. Yellow Card program reported reactions involving reproductive systems as well as “spontaneous abortions” (miscarriages), premature labour, and stillbirths in association with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The reports include:

cases of abnormal uterine bleeding
reports of unusual breast pain and swelling
absent or delayed menstruation
heavy menstrual bleeding
cases of vaginal haemorrhaging
reports of genital swelling, lesions, rashes or ulcerations
cases of postmenopausal haemorrhaging
cases of premature or “artificial” menopause

Miscarriages/ abortions

There were enough evidences to suggest that vaccines impacted the reproductive health of women. An analysis had estimated the number of spontaneous abortions caused by the COVID vaccines.
In India however the Government encouraged pregnant and lactating women to get vaccinated while reports of miscarriages were common place and while the fact sheet of the vaccine company provided guidelines against vaccination for pregnant and lactating mother.
An important point to note is that he government of India introduced special maternity leave of 60 days in Sep 2022 for still birth or loss of newborn, after the Dept of Personal & Training received several references and queries requesting for a clarification pertaining to grant of leave. Was there a covid vaccination connection increase in still births is a question to be asked.
Even while gynaecologists continued to dismiss the concerns, NIH and others funded studies to assess potential effects of covid vaccination on the menstrual health of women and spelled out huge risks.
Even in India, there were studies done which showed that both Covishield and Covaxin caused menstrual disturbances.
Just like how some side effects of covid vaccines are getting disclosed one by one, it may not be far when mainstream reports about long term side effects of the covid vaccine on women’s menstrual cycle, reproductive health, the impact on the woman’s fertility and the impact on the unborn or the new born.

---

*Digital marketing and content management professional with keen interest in public health policies

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog