Stress of COVID-19 pandemic caused irregular menstrual cycles

Women and people who menstruate experienced irregularities in their menstrual cycle because of increased stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new Northwestern Medicine study has found.

This is the first U.S. study to evaluate the impact of stress on peoples’ periods.

The study surveyed more than 200 women and people who menstruate in the United States between July and August 2020 in order to better understand how stress during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced their menstrual cycles.