“I got gassed and since then I’ve been hurting like I was on my period.”. This testimony, published on the page of the Lacrymo de sang collective, summarizes the concerns of many demonstrators. Created by Eva-Luna Tholance, the collective collected more than 750 testimonies in ten days after the high school protests in October.
Intense menstrual pain, disrupted cycles, heavy bleeding… Some people even report pregnancy loss. But can we establish a direct link between these symptoms and exposure to tear gas?
750 testimonies in ten days: symptoms that raise questions
eThe majority of people describe significant menstrual pain, accompanied or not by bleeding.reports Eva-Luna Tholance, founder of the Lacrymo de sang collective. Other testimonies report hemorrhagic bleeding and termination of pregnancy, without a causal link being able to be established at this stage.
A study published in Frontiers in Epidemiologyafter the Black Lives Matter protests organized following the assassination of George Floyd, sheds additional light. Among the 1,276 people exposed to tear gas 83% of respondents to the survey reported at least one unusual reproductive system symptom.
In detail, 69% reported uterine cramps, 55% early periods, 30% breast tenderness and 19% late periods.
The study also noted that people taking hormone therapy were 37% more likely to report symptoms. However, this result does not demonstrate that hormones directly increase vulnerability to gas.
These data remain observational: they describe symptoms reported by the participants, but do not prove that gases are responsible. Stress, physical exertion and event conditions can also disrupt the menstrual cycle.
Tear gas: what effects on the body?
Tear gases, particularly the compounds CS and CN, are chemical irritants. Their immediate effects are known: tearing, eye pain, coughing, sneezing, throat burning and skin irritation.
Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical, recalls that these symptoms generally disappear within 15 to 30 minutes following removal from the source. However, significant exposure, particularly in a closed space, can lead to more serious respiratory complications.
CS, or 2-chlorobenzylidene malonitrile, acts in particular on TRPA1 receptors, involved in the perception of pain and irritants. On the other hand, its possible effects on the reproductive system remain poorly documented.
The question of the transformation of certain compounds into cyanide is also raised in a report from the Toxicology-Chemistry Association of Paris coordinated by Alexander Samuel. Eva-Luna Tholance summarizes this hypothesis: “When tear gas is inhaled, it metabolizes to cyanide and cuts off the oxygen supply to the blood.”. This statement, however, should not be considered a systematically demonstrated mechanism for every CS exposure.
For Dr. Kierzek, data on gynecological effects remains limited and is based mainly on testimonials, observational studies and historical reports.
Worrying signals exist, but no formal causality has been established.
Miscarriages: what do we really know about the risk?
This is the most sensitive question. Among the testimonies collected by Lacrymo de sang, some people mention pregnancy losses. Doctors from Physicians for Human Rights also reported, in several countries, observations of an increase in pregnancy losses after episodes of significant exposure to tear gas for weeks.
However, these observations are not enough to demonstrate that gases are responsible for these events. According to Dr. Kierzek, no increase in the risk of miscarriage linked to this exposure has been formally established.
Caution nevertheless remains essential, particularly during pregnancy. After exposure, significant pelvic pain or unusual bleeding warrants prompt medical advice. During pregnancy, any bleeding should lead to contacting a healthcare professional.
People on hormonal treatment or suffering from a gynecological pathology should also remain alert to the appearance of unusual symptoms.
Testimonies to be taken seriously, without concluding too quickly
Stress, physical exertion and exposure conditions can influence the menstrual cycle. These factors complicate the interpretation of the testimonies and will need to be taken into account in future research.
Alexander Samuel, doctor in molecular biology and professor of mathematics, a leading scientist on the impact of CS gas on health, underlines, in comments reported by Libération, that “When we look at how the human body works, mechanically, yes, it’s obvious that there is a greater risk for the youngest.”. This assessment does not, however, constitute scientific proof of a specific gynecological risk in adolescents.
It therefore remains essential to better document the potential effects of these substances, particularly in pregnant people and those following hormonal treatment.
The testimonies do not prove a causal link, but they are signals worth studying. While we wait for more solid data, Dr. Kierzek’s advice is clear: avoid exposure to tear gas whenever possible and do not trivialize unusual symptoms after exposure.