#5SmartReads - April 14, 2021

What to know about the J&J vaccine, COVID and your menstrual cycle, and my friend Carmen's beautiful marriage

The COVID-19 vaccine and menstrual irregularities. (The Vajenda)

I’m about to tell you something maddening.

Until the early 2000’s, women of childbearing age were unable to participate in clinical trials because the study sponsors “didn’t know how to account for menstruation.”

That’s right.

And when they were FINALLY admitted into clinical studies, an effect on menstrual cycles were not reported unless they are severe enough to cause admission in the emergency department.

Dr. Jen Gunter breaks down the history and the context of the COVID vaccine in this excellent article. And if you have received both doses of the vaccine and menstruate, I ask you to consider completing this survey being conducted by the University of Illinois to help gather more data on the effect of vaccines on menstruation.