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Women report unusual periods after Covid jab
So far, 460 cases of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) have been recorded in the country. Team investigating.
• Amoth said it is possible to develop Covid-19 post vaccine menorrhagia, or increased menstrual flow.
The country’s health team is following up on reports of unusual menstrual flows in women who have received the AtraZeneca vaccine.
It’s known as the pharmacovigilance team.
The Health Ministry has said the data will help inform whether this is a new phenomenon that should be given attention.
The country’s health team is following up on reports of unusual menstrual flows in women who have received the AtraZeneca vaccine.
It’s known as the pharmacovigilance team.
The Health Ministry has said the data will help inform whether this is a new phenomenon that should be given attention.
Ag Health director general Dr Patrick Amoth has said so far, 460 cases of Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) have been recorded. It was not known how many cases of unusual menstrual flow have been reported.
Amoth said it is possible to develop Covid-19 post-vaccine menorrhagia, or increased menstrual flow.
“It is practically possible that could happen but what has been documented is more thrombosis episodes and this has been properly documented within mortalities,” the DG said.
“Fortunately, we have not reported any thrombotic episodes among the more than 900,000 people we have vaccinated so far,” he added
Some have experienced heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), some bleeding before their periods were due, or bleeding frequently (metrorrhagia/polymenorrhea). Some have complained of postmenopausal bleeding.
Globally, there have been similar complaints but the World Health Organization has not listed any side effects involving menstrual flow.
“We have recorded 460 cases of AEFIs and we follow up with that data to be able to inform the entire world if indeed this is a new phenomenon. But there is a small risk of thrombotic episodes following vaccination with AstraZeneca,” Amoth said.
“But the benefits of getting the vaccine still outweigh the risks after taking the vaccine so it is safer taking it than running away because of that small risk of a thrombotic episode.”
Healthcare workers have been advised to encourage women to report heavy menstrual bleeding or other extraordinary bleeding events post-vaccination in the reporting system and seek prompt medical advice.
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has encouraged women to report such cases and assured them they will be investigated by health experts.
Public health agencies and regulatory authorities are also requested to investigate these cases and issue further warnings, as unusual bleeding can be an early sign of a potentially fatal vaccine-induced condition called Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis, a rare type of blood clot in the brain.
(Edited by V. Graham)
