July 16, 2026
Long COVID (symptoms persisting for four weeks or more after the acute infection) and menopause can cause some of the same symptoms, and they often affect women around the same time of life1. This article looks at how their symptoms overlap, whether COVID-19 affects the timing of menopause, how doctors try to tell them apart, and what current research does and does not show.
Can long COVID cause symptoms that overlap with menopause?
Yes – long COVID has more than 100 possible symptoms, and many of them overlap with menopause symptoms 1. Long COVID is when symptoms continue for four weeks or more after a COVID-19 infection 1. It can affect many parts of the body 1. Both long COVID and menopause can cause tiredness, brain fog (problems with memory and concentration), low mood, poor sleep and joint aches 1,2.
The two conditions also affect women of a similar age. Women aged 45 to 54 are the age group most likely to report long COVID 1. This is also the usual age for the onset of perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause) and menopause 1. Some women feel that having both conditions together makes their symptoms worse 1. Having similar symptoms does not prove that one condition causes the other; it means the two can be easy to confuse 1.
Are women who had COVID-19 more likely to experience early menopause?
The honest answer is that we do not yet know, and the evidence so far is limited 3. COVID-19 can cause short-term changes to the menstrual cycle, such as irregular, missed or heavier periods 3. In one multi-country survey in menstruating women with long COVID, about a third reported the above menstrual problems/ issues 3.
In another survey, half of the women with long COVID reported that their periods had stopped or changed after long COVID infection 1. Surveys like these record women’s own experiences, but do not show whether COVID was the cause 1. Some studies have found temporary changes in the hormones that reflect ovarian function 4. These include a short-term fall in anti-Mullerian hormone, a marker of ovarian reserve (healthy, age-appropriate quantity of remaining eggs) 4.
The virus may affect the ovaries because it can enter ovarian tissue and cause inflammation 4. COVID-19 has also been linked in a few studies to premature ovarian insufficiency 4. This is when the ovaries stop working normally before the age of 40 4. However, most of these changes appear to be temporary, and the long-term effects on the ovaries are not yet known 4. Overall, whether COVID-19 makes menopause happen earlier is not established 4.
How can a doctor distinguish between long COVID symptoms and menopause?
There is no simple test that separates long COVID from menopause, so doctors need to look at the whole picture 1. After the age of 45, menopause is usually identified from your symptoms and changes in your periods, not from a blood test 2.
A doctor may consider your age and whether your periods have changed 1. They may ask when your symptoms began, including whether they started after a COVID-19 infection 1. Long COVID often includes symptoms that are less typical of menopause, such as breathlessness or feeling much worse after activity 1,5,6. These can be a clue 1,5.
As the overlap in symptoms is so close, the two can be hard to tell apart, and they can also occur together 1. Guidelines advise that when someone has menopause-like symptoms, other possible causes should also be considered 7.
Should women with long COVID who are in the right age group be assessed for menopause?
For women in the usual menopause age range who have these overlapping symptoms, greater awareness of menopause in women with long COVID alongside regular checks can help 1. This may help avoid a missed or mistaken diagnosis and lead to more suitable care 1.
Menopause can be identified from symptoms, age and change in menstrual cycle pattern, and there are treatments that may ease menopausal symptoms 2. If menopause is the cause, or part of the cause, treating it may also make day-to-day life easier 2. Menopause care can often be managed by your doctor 7. They can refer you to experts with more experience in menopause if your situation is more complex or your symptoms do not improve 7.
What does current research say about the overlap between long COVID and menopause?
Research on this topic is still at an early stage with most of what we know based on small studies where women have reported their symptoms 1. These studies show that long COVID and menopause share many symptoms, and that women often feel each condition makes the other worse, but research has not shown that one condition causes the other 1.
In fact, it has been shown that although women were more likely than men to have long COVID, having gone through menopause did not by itself raise the risk 1. Other research has looked at how COVID-19 affects the menstrual cycle and the ovaries, and has found mostly short-term changes 3,4. It has been suggested that certain hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone may play a part by affecting inflammation in the body, but these ideas are not yet proven 1. Larger and longer studies are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn 1.
Conclusion
Long COVID and menopause can cause many of the same symptoms, and they often affect women at the same time of life 1. This can make them hard to tell apart 1. Current research shows this overlap, but it has not shown that one condition causes the other 1. The evidence on whether COVID-19 affects the timing of menopause is still limited 3,4. If you have long COVID and you are in the age range where menopause may begin, being assessed for menopause as well can help 1. Menopausal symptoms can be treated 2. A healthcare professional can look at your symptoms, age and history and advise on how to better manage your menopause journey and understand the available options for relieving symptoms 1,2.
FAQ
1. Are long COVID and menopause symptoms similar?
Yes. Both can cause tiredness, brain fog, low mood and poor sleep 1. Many of these are also recognised symptoms of menopause 2. Since the symptoms of both are so similar, the two can be easy to confuse 1.
2. Can COVID-19 bring on early menopause?
The evidence is limited and not clear. COVID-19 can cause short-term changes to the menstrual cycle and to ovarian hormones and, in some studies, has been linked to the ovaries stopping work early, before the age of 40 4. Most of these changes seem to be temporary, and there is no firm evidence that COVID-19 makes natural menopause happen earlier 4.
3. Is there a test to tell long COVID and menopause apart?
No single test can separate them 1. After the age of 45, menopause is usually identified from your symptoms and changes in your periods, not from a blood test 2. A doctor will look at your age, your periods and when your symptoms started to help work out the cause, and the two can also occur together 1.
4. Should I be checked for menopause if I have long COVID?
If you are in the usual menopause age range and have these symptoms, being assessed for menopause as well can help 1. Menopause can be identified from your symptoms and age, and there are treatments that may ease its symptoms 2. Your usual doctor can do this and can refer you to someone with more menopause experience if needed 7.
5. Does menopause make long COVID worse, or the other way round? Women often report that the two conditions make each other worse, but this comes mainly from what people report about their own symptoms, not from studies that prove a cause 1. It has been shown that women were more likely than men to have long COVID but going through menopause did not by itself raise the risk 1. Researchers say larger, longer studies are needed to understand the link 1.
This article was written with the assistance of generative AI technology and reviewed for accuracy.
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