• Joaquim Calaf, Josep Perelló-Capó, Ignasi Gich-Saladich, Iñaki Lete, Jesús Novalbos, and Menscovid Research Group.
• Institut de Recerca and Servei de Ginecologia, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: jcalaf@santpau.cat.
• Med Clin (Barc). 2024 Jun 28; 162 (12): 581587581-587.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the presence, importance, and characteristics of menstrual changes related to stressful circumstances during the COVID-19 lockdown in Spain.Study DesignAn online survey was administered in Spain to menstruating women aged 15-55 who had not contracted COVID-19. It collected information on activities during the lockdown, sexual activity, perceptions of emotional status, any changes in menstrual characteristics, and impact on quality of life. The analysis of menstrual changes was limited to responders who did not use hormonal contraception.ResultsA total of 6449 women answered the survey, and 4989 surveys were valid for the final analysis. 92.3% of women had at least one menstruation period during the lockdown, while 7.7% had amenorrhea. Quality of life (QoL) associated with menstruation worsened in 19% of women, did not change in 71.7%, and improved in 1.6%. For 50.1% of the women, global QoL worsened during the lockdown; 41.3% remained about the same and 8.7% reported improvement. Sexual activity during the lockdown decreased in 49.8% of the respondents, remained unchanged in 40.7%, and increased in 9.5%. As far the menstrual changes are concerned, there were no statistically significant differences in amenorrhea incidence, regularity of the menstrual cycle, or the amount or duration of menstrual bleeding in non-hormonal contraceptive users when evaluated by the length and characteristics of isolation, the perception of exposure to COVID-19 and the economic or employment situation. Conversely, we found statistically significant differences according to the intensity of changes in emotional status due to lockdown stressors and changes in regularity, duration, and heaviness of menstruation.ConclusionChanges in emotional status, but not the length and intensity of the isolation or exposure to the disease, significantly influenced menstrual disturbances during the COVID-19 lockdown.Copyright © 2024 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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