{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T18:59:54Z","timestamp":1789153194090,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,30]],"date-time":"2024-07-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722297600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Glob. Womens Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Four years after the start of the pandemic, there is limited evidence on the impact of COVID-19 on the women's health regardless of their reproductive status.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>The aim was to analyze the prevalence and associated factors of menstrual-related disturbances in formerly menstruating women following SARS-CoV-2 infection.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Study design<\/jats:title><jats:p>A retrospective observational study of adult women in Spain was conducted during the month of December 2021 using an online survey (<jats:italic>N<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200917,512). The present analysis includes a subpopulation of SARS-CoV-2-infected and formerly menstruating women (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200972). The collected data included general characteristics, medical history, and specific information on COVID-19. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney <jats:italic>U<\/jats:italic>-tests were performed. Bivariate logistic regression analysis was then performed to investigate possible associations between the occurrence of menstrual-related disturbances after SARS-CoV-2 infection.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>38.8% of participants experienced menstrual-related disturbances following COVID-19. Among these, unexpected vaginal bleeding (20.8%) was the most common event, followed by spotting (11.1%) (\n<jats:xref>Table\u00a01<\/jats:xref>). Other reported changes were in the length (shorter\u2009=\u200912.5%) and flow (heavier\u2009=\u200930.3%) of menstrual bleeding in comparison to their previous experience. Regression analysis revealed that being a perimenopausal woman [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.721, CI 95%, 1.022\u201321.796, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.047] and having a previous diagnosis of menorrhagia (AOR 5.824 CI 95%, 1.521\u201322.310, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.010) were factors associated with the event.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>These findings could help health professionals provide their patients with up-to-date scientific information to empower them to actively manage their reproductive health, especially in societies where menstrual health is still taboo.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fgwh.2024.1393765","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,30]],"date-time":"2024-07-30T04:58:04Z","timestamp":1722315484000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["COVID-19 and menstrual-related 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