Menstrual Cycle Characteristics of Healthcare Professionals

Menstrual Cycle Characteristics of Healthcare Professionals at Covid 19 Pandemic Hospital

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare workers physically and psychologically. The aim of this study is to examine whether there is a change in menstrual cycle characteristics during pandemia. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there is an association between covid infection and menstrual cycle changes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Menstrual Irregularity; Covid 19

Detailed Description

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare workers physically and psychologically. Healthcare workers have ben required to work under stressful conditions and take difficult decisions involving ethical implications. Increasing work demands on healthcare professionals conflict with their duties to family and friends, which causes psychological stress. All of these factors may negatively affect their menstrual cycle.

The aim of this study is to examine whether there is a change in menstrual cycle characteristics during pandemia. Second aim is to investigate whether there is an association between Covid 19 infection and menstrual cycle changes.

This cross-sectional study is conducted with healthy female participants who are working at Haydarpasa Numune Research and Training Hospital in Turkey. The researcher investigates the characteristics of menstrual cycle in female healthy workers employed in Covid 19 pandemic inpatient and outpatient clinics. The participants who are sure about their pertinent information are enrolled in the study. The exclusion criteria includes pregnancy, history of hysterectomy, oophorectomy, diseases like Asherman's syndrome and also history of endocrine disorders (progesterone deficiency, thyroid disorders and diabetes mellitus), oral contraceptive use, malignancy, primary amenorrhea, menopause and lactation.

After informed consent, detailed information is collected using structured questionnaires about their reproductive factors and menstrual cycles by direct interviews. The questionnaire contains questions about age, work experience, marital status, height, weight, working hours, use of medication, menstrual cycle characteristics (including cycle duration, duration and amount of bleeding, bleeding during the cycle, regular or irregular menstrual cycles) and dysmenorrhea. Also, the difference in menstrual cycle characteristics between covid positive and negative healthcare professionals is investigated.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 260

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Istanbul, Turkey
    • University of Health Sciences Turkey

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 47 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy female healthcare workers at Covid 19 pandemic hospital

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Working at Covid 19 Pandemic Hospital
• Being at between 18 and 47 years old
• Having menstruation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Oral contraceptive users
• Pregnants
• Having malignancy
• Having primary amenorrhea
• Being at menopause
• Lactation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Female healthcare workers; Healthy female healthcare workers at Covid 19 clinic in Istanbul, Turkey

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Rate of irregular menstrual cycle	Irregular menstrual cycle	1 month after starting to work at pandemic clinic
Length of cycle	Length of cycle (day)	1 month after starting to work at pandemic clinic
Rate of prolonged bleeding	Duration of bleeding (day)	1 month after starting to work at pandemic clinic
Amount of flow	Number of used tampons during bleeding	1 month after starting to work at pandemic clinic
Rate of dysmenorrhea	Dysmenorrhea status	1 month after starting to work at pandemic clinic

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The number of difference in menstrual cycle length	Menstrual cycle difference between covid positive and negative healthcare workers (days)	Up to 1 month after covid infection
The number of difference in bleeding days	Duration of bleeding difference between covid positive and negative healthcare workers (days)	Up to 1 month after covid infection
The number of difference in amount of flow	Amount of flow difference between covid positive and negative healthcare workers (tampons)	Up to 1 month after covid infection

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Attarchi M, Darkhi H, Khodarahmian M, Dolati M, Kashanian M, Ghaffari M, Mirzamohammadi E, Mohammadi S. Characteristics of menstrual cycle in shift workers. Glob J Health Sci. 2013 Feb 28;5(3):163-72. doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v5n3p163.
• Moen BE, Baste V, Morken T, Alsaker K, Pallesen S, Bjorvatn B. Menstrual characteristics and night work among nurses. Ind Health. 2015;53(4):354-60. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2014-0214. Epub 2015 Apr 24.
• Ok G, Ahn J, Lee W. Association between irregular menstrual cycles and occupational characteristics among female workers in Korea. Maturitas. 2019 Nov;129:62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2019.07.019. Epub 2019 Aug 2.
• Wan GH, Chung FF. Working conditions associated with ovarian cycle in a medical center nurses: a Taiwan study. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2012 Jun;9(1):112-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-7924.2011.00191.x. Epub 2011 Sep 16.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 10, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 10, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): September 10, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 27, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 31, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): June 2, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 19, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 18, 2020
• Last Verified: May 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: menstrual cycle; Covid 19; health care professionals; Pandemia
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; COVID-19; Menstruation Disturbances
• Other Study ID Numbers: HNEAH KAEK 2020/KK/; Ministry of health (Sevcan Arzu ARINKAN-2020-05-03T22_54_16)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No