Traumatic incidents like earthquakes can alter a woman’s menstrual cycle: Study

Earthquakes are known to wreak devastation on food, buildings, the economy, and the lives of those affected, besides mental health. But now a new study has found a physical side-effect of the natural occurrence, one that only affects women.

Researchers have found that a woman's menstrual cycle also takes a hit due to a traumatic event like an earthquake. Menstruation is linked to hormonal fluctuations and involves the shedding of the uterine lining around every 27 days when the egg does not fertilise.

When the monthly cycle follows a basic pattern, it indicates that the woman is healthy. However, when it starts to fluctuate or causes more than normal pain or blood flow, there is most likely a problem that can either be physical or mental.

The corresponding author of the study, Sibel Kiyak of Necmettin Erbakan University, Turkey, said in a statement, "Earthquakes can disrupt not only physical but also hormonal and psychological balances, which can directly affect women's reproductive health."

Published in the scientific journal Brain and Behavior, the study specifically talks about women who witnessed two major earthquakes in Turkey who are now likely facing disruptions in their menstrual cycles.

The study had 309 participants aged 18 to 49 who lived in the 11 regions declared as disaster zones after the February 6, 2023, earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey.

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Measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, the earthquake killed more than 50,000 people and injured over 110,000. Nearly 38,000 buildings collapsed in the province, and there was immense pressure on the resources.

Study on Turkey earthquake and women

They were asked to list the physical and mental side effects of the event nine months after it happened. The study found a significant rise in the number of women suffering from menstrual irregularities.

At least 14.3 per cent of the women had irregular cycles before the earthquakes, while 44.8 per cent reported going through it afterwards.

The problems listed included 14.6 per cent of women reporting infrequent cycles after the earthquakes; 12.3 per cent with heavy bleeding each month; 10.7 per cent saying their periods had become overly frequent; and 10.7 per cent reporting bleeding in between their periods.

Shockingly, 22.7 per cent of these women were found to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), hinting ata link between irregularities and the trauma. PTSD can be triggered by even one traumatic incident.

However, the study group did not represent all groups of women, as it required them to be literate and have an internet connection.

But the authors say they noted that the trauma had influenced the hormones, and therefore reproductive health.