COVID-19

• Symptoms of menopause and long COVID are very similar.
• The most frequent symptoms of long COVID include shortness of breath, fatigue, sleep disorders and insomnia. Night sweats and temperature dysregulation have also been reported.

• Unfortunately, careful assessment of symptoms, including even menstrual cycle irregularity, may not be particularly helpful in distinguishing long COVID from the menopause transition.
• Menstrual cycle irregularities are associated with acute COVID infection and with vaccination.
• This may be explained by a short-term interruption of ovarian steroid hormone function following COVID infection, which in turn may acutely worsen perimenopausal and post-menopausal symptoms.

For more information on long COVID, see NICE CKS guidance.