Collective investigates tear gas and menstrual health

A group known as Lacrymo de sang has begun an investigation into how tear gas might affect menstrual cycles. This comes after reports from demonstrators who have experienced unusual menstrual pain, irregular cycles, and even miscarriages since early October.

Testimonies highlight severe menstrual changes

The collective, made up of activists, scientists, doctors, and midwives, collected over 750 accounts in ten days. Many described intense menstrual pain, sometimes with bleeding, and some needed twice as many sanitary products as usual. A small number also reported pregnancy losses.

Founder links tear gas to reproductive health

Eva Luna Tholance, who founded the collective and wrote the 2020 book Ce que les gaz lacrymogènes font à nos utérus, said some protesters from March still suffer from severe pain. She stressed the need for more research on tear gas's long-term impact on fertility and gynecological health.

Studies suggest possible links to menstrual issues

A 2021 study in the journal BMC Public Health found that 54.5% of 1,650 people exposed to tear gas during 2020 protests in Portland reported menstrual disruptions or breast sensitivity. The study noted that stress and anxiety might have played a role, though the connection is not certain.

More recent study finds similar patterns

A 2023 study in Frontiers in Epidemiology found that 69% of 1,276 protesters exposed to tear gas after the murder of George Floyd reported uterine cramps, and many had early or delayed periods. Another 2020 study on French "Yellow Vest" protesters suggested a link between tear gas and menstrual changes, though it was not peer-reviewed.

Hypotheses on tear gas's chemical effects

Eva-Luna Tholance suggests tear gas may break down into cyanide, which could reduce oxygen in the blood and cause contractions or pain. However, other symptoms like breast pain or delayed periods are harder to explain. She points to decades of reports from countries with large protests, including Chile, South Korea, Palestine, and Bahrain.

Tear gas's effects on protesters' health

The immediate effects of tear gas, like eye and lung irritation, are well-known. But the more severe symptoms reported by women may make it harder for them to protest. Some have said they no longer want to participate due to the pain. The collective argues that tear gas may be discriminatory, as it was developed without considering the health of vulnerable groups. The Ministry of the Interior did not respond to requests for comment.