Indian women had irregular gap in period cycle during Covid-19

The findings of a new survey suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, women in India faced irregular gaps in their menstrual cycle due to coronavirus, which brings a fresh supply of stress and anxiety every day.

The 6th annual Menstrual Hygiene Survey by Everteen, a feminine hygiene brand, released on the eve of Menstrual Hygiene Day 2021, which is observed annually on May 28, was conducted on nearly 5000 women in the age group of 18 to 35 years from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.

Among other aspects of menstrual hygiene, this year’s survey specifically aimed to gauge the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown in India on periods in women. The survey revealed that more than 41 per cent of women experienced an unusually irregular gap in their periods. This is startling because only 13.7 per cent of women who participated in the survey said they were infected with COVID-19.

As many as 64.5 per cent of women said that the current COVID times had impacted their stress and anxiety levels, which could be a possible reason for irregularity in the gap between two menstrual periods in so many women.

Out of all the women who participated in the survey, 34.2 per cent, or more than one-third, said that they even noticed a change in intensity of menstrual flow.

A disturbing finding was that 26.6 per cent of women did nothing about irregularity in their menstrual cycle dates, while another 35.4 per cent of women only discussed it with their mother or friends. Just 38 per cent of women chose to consult a doctor to evaluate why their menstrual cycle date was irregular.