Coronavirus vaccination: Why are women more prone to COVID vaccine side effects than men

Having side effects from a vaccine is a common occurrence. It does not pose any risk to your health nor does it leave any long term effects on the body.

COVID-19 vaccines are the same. After getting vaccinated against the SARs-COV-2 virus, one may experience mild ailments, while others may report no symptoms at all. Depending on your immune system and how your body reacts to foreign pathogens, your body is likely to showcase reactions that may go from mild to severe.

Just like coronavirus infections, vaccines may trigger symptoms that may seem similar to COVID symptoms. Given that coronavirus vaccines are a mimicry of the actual virus, it triggers an immune response that resembles immune responses activated by COVID-19 infections.

From fever, fatigue, nausea to body ache, many symptoms have been reported in people who have received their COVID shots.

Apart from that, many have also experienced itchiness, redness, swelling at the injection site, which wears off in a day or two.

Read more: COVID symptoms vs. vaccine side effects: How to tell the difference?

There is no saying who gets more side effects than the other. However, growing evidence suggests that certain factors may influence one's odds of experiencing severe side-effects, especially when it comes to women.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, following an analysis of the data published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report in February, it was found that while most reactions to the COVID vaccines were not serious, women reported more vaccine side effects than men.

Out of the total number of vaccinations conducted, 79 percent of side effects were reported by women although about 60 percent of the doses were administered to women. As per the study, it was found that 19 women who received the Moderna shot reported an adverse reaction, while 44 percent of women, who complained of anaphylactic reactions, were given the Pfizer shots.

Although it may be alarming for a lot of women, it sure is intriguing to know why it happens and whether women should be worried at all.

Read more: Coronavirus vaccination: Does having no vaccine side effect indicate lower protection against COVID-19?

As and when somebody receives a vaccine, the body's immune system is activated, which produces antibodies to fight the harmful pathogens. This in turn causes inflammatory responses in the body, which leads to various side effects.

While reports suggest that women are more prone to vaccine side effects, it could be because they have a more robust and a healthier immune system in contrast to men.

Research has also claimed that women produce more vigorous antibodies as compared to their male counterparts.

Experiencing side effects is a natural process and one should not be alarmed by it.

While women are said to be more susceptible to experiencing side effects from COVID vaccines, many researchers believe that it could be due to behavioural factors. This means that while women are believed to be more expressive about their ailments than men, it is possible that the analysis provided could be based on how vocal a person is about their physical pain.

That said, some experts believe that women are more likely to report side-effects than men, leading to conclusions that suggest that women experience more side effects from vaccines.

Read more: Coronavirus vaccination: Side effects you may experience from COVID-19 vaccine boosters

As per experts, female hormone estrogen generally boosts and influences the reaction of the immune system. On the contrary, male hormone testosterone acts as an immunosuppressant., which could be a leading reason why women experience more side effects from COVID vaccines than men.

This could also prove why most women are subject to autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Genetic differences can also influence the way your body reacts to a vaccine, making women prone to more side-effects than men.

Although side effects from COVID vaccines disappear in a day or two, if it feels intolerable, you can always take pain-relieving medications. However, make sure to consult your doctor about the same.

Drink plenty of water and avoid doing any strenuous activity. Rest well and do not assert your body and mind.

Post vaccination, arm soreness remains for a day or two. However, it is not a matter of concern. In order to ease the pain, experts advise continuous and gentle movements of the arm. This stimulates blood flow to the area which helps reduce soreness. You can also apply a cold compress to ease the pain. However, do not forget that soreness is a sign that your immune system is working.