Introduction: Long Covid describes the condition of not recovering for many weeks or months following acute COVID-19 infection. Many of the symptoms - brain fog, fatigue, reduced stamina, headaches, dizziness, poor sleep, reduced concentration and muscle pains - are similar to perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms.
A recent study has found that the mean age of people with Long Covid was 46.5 years with 82.8% females. 36% of women reported disturbances to their menstrual cycles.
Methods: An online survey was created and the link was shared through various social media groups. Questions included asking about duration of symptoms, changes to their periods, if their symptoms changed with their menstrual cycle and if these women were asked about their hormones.
Results: A total of 460 women responded. 48% of women had been experiencing symptoms for more than 6 months. 50% of women reported that their periods had stopped or changed since their infection and 80% stated that their periods had not returned to how they were before their Covid infection.
Interestingly, 62% of responders reported that their symptoms of Long Covid were worse on the days before their periods which is when hormone levels are usually at their lowest. The vast majority of women, 70%, had thought that some of their Long Covid symptoms could be a result of either their perimenopause or menopause. However, 84% of women had never been asked by a healthcare professional about whether or not they could be perimenopausal or menopausal. They were given no advise about treatment of their perimenopause or menopause.
Conclusion: The symptoms of Long Covid may partly be due to the disturbance of physiological ovarian steroid hormone production and/or an altered chronic inflammatory response due to sex-based immunomodulation. Also, many perimenopausal and menopausal women may be misdiagnosed with Long Covid.
This study has also highlighted the importance of women with Long Covid being asked about possible perimenopause or menopause, given adequate information and then managed appropriately with HRT. This study emphasises the need for more healthcare professionals working in Long Covid clinics to be asking women about potential perimenopause or menopause either contributing or causing their patients' symptoms.