The National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Aug. 30 announced it has awarded one-year supplemental grants totaling $1.67 million to multiple institutions to investigate the potential links between COVID-19 vaccination and menstrual changes. The announcement comes amid increasing reports among women who claim to have experienced changes to their menstrual cycle after receiving the vaccine. These changes range from irregular or missed menstrual periods to increased bleeding, among others. In February, Kate Clancy, a medical anthropologist, shared her own experience on Twitter recounting an unusually heavy period after receiving the Moderna vaccine. The post was inundated with responses from others who shared similar accounts. The NIH’s awards support research to determine whether such changes may be linked to COVID-19 vaccination itself and how long the changes last. Researchers also will seek to clarify the mechanisms underlying potential vaccine-related menstrual changes. The supplemental grants are awarded to five institutions; Boston University, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, Michigan …