How Lifestyle Changes during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic Affected the Pattern and Symptoms of the Menstrual Cycle

Georgie Bruinvels, Richard C. Blagrove, Esther Goldsmith, Laurence Shaw, Daniel Martin and Jessica Piasecki ()
Additional contact information
Georgie Bruinvels: Orreco, Ltd., London TW1 3DY, UK
Richard C. Blagrove: School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Esther Goldsmith: Orreco, Ltd., London TW1 3DY, UK
Laurence Shaw: School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
Daniel Martin: School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7GA, UK
Jessica Piasecki: School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-19

Abstract: This research investigated the implications that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the menstrual cycle and any contributing factors to these changes. A questionnaire was completed by 559 eumenorrheic participants, capturing detail on menstrual cycle symptoms and characteristics prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown period. Over half of all participants reported to have experienced lack of motivation (61.5%), focus (54.7%) and concentration (57.8%). 52.8% of participants reported an increase in cycle length. Specifically, there was an increase in the median cycle length reported of 5 days (minimum 2 days, maximum 32 days), with a median decrease of 3 days (minimum 2 days and maximum 17 days). A lack of focus was significantly associated with a change in menstrual cycle length ( p = 0.038) reported to have increased by 61% of participants. Changes to eating patterns of white meat (increase p = 0.035, decrease p = 0.003) and processed meat (increase p = 0.002 and decrease p = 0.001) were significantly associated with a change in menstrual cycle length. It is important that females and practitioners become aware of implications of environmental stressors and the possible long-term effects on fertility. Future research should continue to investigate any long-lasting changes in symptoms, as well as providing education and support for females undergoing any life stressors that may implicate their menstrual cycle and/or symptoms.

Keywords: female physiology; reproductive function; symptoms; eumenorrheic; nutrition; training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13622/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13622/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13622-:d:948576

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().