Stress plays a role in women’s long COVID

University Stony Brook UniversityStress appears to play a role in women with young children who are diagnosed with post-acute sequelae of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, known as Long COVID, and those who report having Long COVID symptoms. Additionally, women bear a disproportionate burden of Long COVID, and gender-specific mechanisms potentially related to the condition remain poorly understood. Women with more than two children experienced more Long COVID symptoms than mothers of one or two children. “Additionally, the results demonstrate that stress is meaningfully related to Long COVID in women and may contribute to existing gender disparities.” Similarly, some individuals with Long COVID symptoms struggle to obtain an official diagnosis.