Responding to the Women and Equalities Committee report, Janet Lindsay, Chief Executive of Wellbeing of Women said:

“Millions of women and girls suffer with heavy bleeding and severe period pain that disrupts their lives, leading to them taking time off school, work, or their caring responsibilities. Instead of getting the treatment and support they desperately need, they’re often dismissed and told it’s “Just a period”. This is unacceptable.

“Research for our Just a Period campaign shows that 51% of women and girls felt healthcare professionals failed to take their period problems seriously, and more than half (56%) have found it difficult to access treatment and support. Meanwhile, our survey of young people aged 12-19 found that 20% are bed-bound when they are menstruating and 35% said they have not sought help because they’ve been told pain is normal.

“Our ‘Just a Period’ campaign is calling for an end to the normalisation of heavy and painful periods. We want to make sure there is good information and education available for anyone who needs it so that women and girls are empowered to seek the treatment they need and to challenge dismissal from healthcare professionals. We also want to see better menstrual health education in schools, so that women know when and how to seek help and increased funding for gynaecological research. We need to do more to ensure that women and girls are no longer held back by their periods.”