How coronavirus lockdown affects your period – and what to do about it
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CORONAVIRUS has had an impact on every aspect of our daily lives, with stress and anxiety affecting most people.
Another lockdown problem is the impact the spread of Covid-19 has had on menstrual cycles.
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Stress and anxiety can cause shifts in your usual cycle, causing your period to come early, late or not at all.
One specialist said the most common form of a disrupted menstrual cycle is a missed or delayed period.
Los Angeles doctor Kate Denniston told the that this happens because the body is adapting to protect itself.
"Based on our perceived levels of stress and brain signalling, our bodies may decide that it isn’t a good time to ovulate or have a period."
One gynaecologist said the medical community doesn’t yet have enough information on how Covid-19 affects other organs in your body but stated that the stress and anxiety it places on your body could have downstream effects on your reproductive health.
So far in the UK over 32,000 people have died from the coronavirus, and many people have struggled mentally to deal with this.
There have also been over 223,000 cases confirmed and symptoms of the illness can include fever nausea and diarrhoea, all of which can cause disruptions to your period.
Doctors however highlight that this is a short term impact that should only last while you have the virus, with normal periods commencing after the virus has been treated.
Period disruption is also caused by a change in diet and routine. During the pandemic many people have swapped their usual rushed routines for a more relaxed way of living, including regular meals and frequent exercise including home workouts.
As a result of this dramatic change, people may see a heavier flow than usual or missed periods.
A family physician in Arizona said that she has even found that the change in routine has led to some people forgetting to take their contraceptive pills.
Natasha Bhuyan said this can also disrupt a monthly period and urged people to set reminders to take their birth control medication.
This is while one UK-based company, , told The Sun that the pandemic has given people an opportunity to experiment with their routines.
Other reasons for a mixed up menstrual cycle
While the coronavirus pandemic has caused many to experience stress and anxiety, which has in turn impacted their periods, there are other reasons your cycle could be facing disruption.
Fibroids: Many women are unaware they have a fibroid as there are usually no symptoms. They are growths that develop around the womb and can disrupt the normal flow of blood.
Contraceptive pill: Depending on the sort of pill you take you may experience irregular bleeding. The progesterone-only pill is know to cause this in some patients.
Endometriosis: Is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb starts to grow in different places. This can cause painful periods as well as an irregular cycle.
The implant (IUD): Having an IUD may cause spotting or missed periods. An IUD is a copper bar fitted inside the arm and is a form of birth control.
Hormonal disorders: Conditons such as polycystic ovarian syndrome can cause some women to miss their periods.
Thyroid disoders: This can bring on irregular bleeding as well as sporadoc cycles.
If you are concerned about any of your symptoms you can call 111 for advise. Always call 999 in an emergency.
The firm claimed that they have seen a spike in interest from its users of people discussing whether now is the right time to come off their birth control as they are able to manage this more as their routine is now a lot more relaxed than it was before.
Coming off the pill may cause side effects such as spotting and irregular bleeding until your natural cycle starts again.
There are other triggers for a mix up in menstrual cycle though that would still occur outside of the pandemic such as the sort of pill you are taking or an underlying health condition such as Polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Doctors say you should give your period a few months to regulate once your normal routine has been assumed.
If the symptoms persist then you should contact your GP who will be able to advise you on the best methods to regulate your cycle.
One physician, Bindiya Gandhi, said: "If you are skipping more than one cycle ― and not pregnant ― you need to follow up with your doc to see what’s going on".
She also added that it's important to "curb your stress" during this time in order to stop any disruptions your mood may have on your cycle.
In order to stop levels of stress rising there are a number on free and easily accessible mental health resources available online that can help you relax.
There are a variety of meditation apps available in order to help you relax and social media platforms such as Facebook also have support groups for those in their community who may be struggling during this time.
If you have experienced spotting or bleeding in between periods and have had pelvic pain then you should consult your GP.
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