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"Just a Period" survey results

December 2023: survey of 3001 UK girls aged 12-18

To inform our "Just a Period" campaign, Wellbeing of Women commissioned Censuswide to carry out a survey of 3001 UK girls aged 12-18. 2620 of those surveyed had started their period.

Pain

  • On average, girls said they started their periods aged 12
  • Almost all (97%*) experience painful periods.
    • Almost a quarter (24%) of UK girls surveyed said they experience painful periods every time they have a period.
    • 3 in 10 girls aged 16 and 18 said they have painful periods every period, whereas 2 in 10 girls aged 12 said the same.
  • Over 2 in 5 (42%) who experience period pain, typically experience severe* pain
    • 1 in 11 (9%) said the pain level is very severe
    • 1 in 10 girls aged 18 said the pain is very severe, 1 in 20 girls aged 12 said the same

Bleeding

  • Over 9 in 10 (92%) experience* such heavy bleeding that they have to change their daily activities.
    • 1 in 10 say this happens every period
    • 26% say this happens most periods

Mental health

  • 1 in 9 (11%) said their period symptoms have made them feel like life isn’t worth living.
  • Girls said their period symptoms make them feel sad (43%), unmotivated (40%), anxious (39%), down about themselves or appearance (38%), depressed (33%), angry (31%), and lonely (19%).

Impact of period on life

  • 20% said they have been unable to do anything –bed bound.
  • 44% were unable to participate in sports/physical activity
  • 43% have difficulty sleeping and/or eating
  • 36% have missed days of school or education

Seeking help/information and learning about periods

Girls currently learn about periods from their parents, seek help for their periods from parents, and would trust their parents most to learn about period related symptoms.

  • 60% learn about periods from their parents, 47% said they learn about periods from teachers, and 22% learned about periods from friends. 13% use social media to learn about periods.
  • 74% of girls trust their parents most for information about periods and period related symptoms, 38% would trust their doctor the most, 31% would trust a teacher and 30% would trust their school nurse.
  • 64% have sought help for their periods from their parents, 30% have sought help from friends, and 22% have sought help from a medical professional (GP surgery). Only 14% used social media.
    • The majority >75% feel like they were taken seriously.
  • Despite a high proportion of girls experiencing pain and heavy bleeding, when asked what has or might stop them from seeking help, 35% said it’s because they’ve been told pain is normal and 25% said it's because they’d been told heavy bleeding was normal.
  • Girls want more information on what to expect and how to prepare for their periods
    • Just over 3 in 5 (61%) agree* with the statement, ‘I wish I was given more information about what to expect and how to manage my period before it started’
  • Girls think information about period symptoms and how to get help should be taught at school age
    • 4 in 5 (81%) UK girls surveyed agree* with the statement, ‘Information about period-symptoms like heavy bleeding/severe pain and how to get help should be taught at school age’, with over 2 in 5 (44%) who strongly agree.

August 2023: survey of UK women and girls aged 16-40

To inform our "Just a Period" campaign, Wellbeing of Women commissioned Censuswide to carry out a survey of 3,002 women and girls* in the UK (aged 16-40) in August 2023. The survey was nationally representative.

Period pain

  1. Almost all women and girls aged 16-40 have experienced period pain (96%) and over half (51%) experience pain every period.
  2. 59% of all women and girls said their period pain was severe. (est. 6.2M)
  3. 61% of women have taken over-the-counter pain relief (e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen) for their period symptoms.
  4. 47% have used heat therapy for their symptoms such as hot water bottles or a hot bath.
  5. 23% have been prescribed painkillers for their period symptoms (e.g. co-codamol or naproxen).

Heavy bleeding

  1. More than 9 in 10 women and girls have experienced heavy periods (91%), with almost 3 in 10 (27%) saying they had heavy bleeding during every period.
  2. Almost half of all women and girls (49%) said their heavy bleeding was severe.
  3. Despite this, only 14% have tried medication to reduce their heavy bleeding e.g. tranexamic acid, despite this treatment being shown to reduce period blood loss by up to 54% [source].
  4. Only 37% of all women and girls feel comfortable talking to someone they know about period ‘mishaps’ such as bleeding onto bedding or clothing.

Mental health

  1. Nearly 9 in 10 (86%) of women and girls have experienced mental health problems (e.g. depression / anxiety / mood changes) in relation to their period, with almost 3 in 10 (28%) experiencing this every period.
  2. More than 4 in 10 (41%) of women and girls say they have experienced severe mental health problems in relation to their period.
  3. Yet, only 16% have tried antidepressant medication for their period symptoms.

Dismissal and stigma

  1. Just under 3 in 10 (29%) women and girls said they wouldn’t feel comfortable speaking to someone about their period because of embarrassment and just under a fifth (19%) said the reason is a fear of being judged.
  2. Over half (51%) of women and girls have felt their healthcare professional (e.g., GP / Nurse / Gynaecologist) didn’t take them seriously in relation to their period, with just over a fifth (21%) saying this happens always or frequently.
  3. Over half (56%) of women and girls have felt their family didn’t take them seriously in relation to their period, with almost a fifth (18%) saying this happens always or frequently. Half (50%) have experienced strained family relationships in relation to their period and half (50%) have experienced marriage or relationship issues in relation to their period.
  4. Almost half (47%) of women and girls have felt their workplace didn’t take them seriously in relation to their period, and more than half (56%) have experienced problems at work in relation to their period.

Access to treatment and support

  1. Despite 99% of women and girls experiencing period symptoms, 31% of women and girls have never sought help from a healthcare professional for these symptoms.
  2. More than a quarter of all women and girls say that long waiting times (31%), feeling like their GP or healthcare professional wouldn’t take them seriously (30%), and not thinking they would get treatment and support (27%) would prevent them seeking help from a healthcare professional if they were to experience problems with their period such as period pain or heavy bleeding.
  3. 43% of all women and girls have sought help from their GP for period symptoms.
  4. More than half (56%) have experienced difficulties getting treatment and support in relation to their period, with just over a fifth (21%) saying this happens always or frequently.
  5. Of those who sought help from a healthcare professional (including from a GP, nurse, pharmacist, 111, A&E or private medical help) (58% of all women and girls), 
    1. only 42% were given treatment to help manage their period symptoms. 12% said they were not given anything for their symptoms during their appointment(s) and only 16% received a diagnosis.
    2. only 39% were given information or advice on how to manage their symptoms and only 25% received an explanation for their symptoms.
    3. only 19% were referred on to a specialist.
    4. Two thirds (67%) felt they could have been more supported by healthcare professionals to help manage their period symptoms effectively. This was because they:
      1. didn’t feel as if their symptoms were being taken seriously (50%)
      2. appointments felt rushed (42%)
      3. they were not given enough information (28%)
  6. 34% of women and girls have tried the hormonal pill to manage their period symptoms.
  7. Only 9% of women and girls have tried the coil for their period symptoms, despite the Mirena coil being a recommended treatment for both period pain and heavy bleeding.

Diagnosis

  1. 1 in 9 (11%) of women and girls have been diagnosed with Heavy Menstrual Bleeding.
  2. 1 in 9 (11%) of women and girls have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
  3. 1 in 14 (7%) of women and girls have been diagnosed with Endometriosis.
  4. 1 in 20 (5%) of women and girls have been diagnosed with Fibroids.

Impact on the lives of women and girls: education, work and leisure

  1. Over half (54%) of women and girls have taken time off work in relation to their period, but only 1 in 8 (12%) do so always or frequently. [connection to our article on workplace rights]
  2. 3 in 5 (59%) of all women and girls have taken time off school/college/university in relation to their period.
  3. Nearly 9 in 10 (85%) of women and girls have experienced their period preventing or making it more difficult for them to enjoy hobbies or other activities, with just over 2 in 5 (41%) saying this happens always or frequently.

Education and information

  1. Over 4 in 5 (82%) of women and girls agree that there needs to be more accurate and accessible information available on periods, with just under half (49%) strongly agreeing.
  2. Almost 4 in 5 (78%) of women and girls agree that there needs to be more awareness and public conversation around periods.
  3. Over 4 in 5 (83%) of women and girls agree that ‘There needs to be more accurate and accessible information on gynaecological conditions’, with over half (51%) who strongly agree.
  4. Over 4 in 5 (83%) of women and girls agree that there needs to be better education on periods in school / college / university, with over half (54%) who strongly agree.
  5. Just under three quarters (74%) of women and girls agree that healthcare professionals need more education on period-related symptoms / gynaecological conditions’.
  6. Just under 4 in 5 (79%) women and girls agree that ‘There needs to be better awareness and education on periods in the workplace’, with nearly half (47%) strongly agreeing.
  7. Just under three quarters (74%) of women and girls agree that ‘Workplaces should offer flexible working for period symptoms’, with over 2 in 5 (43%) strongly agreeing.
  8. Over 3 in 5 (63%) women and girls agree that ‘Workplaces should offer paid leave for period symptoms’, with over a third (35%) strongly agreeing.
  9. 47% of women and girls have got most of their information from speaking to family members or friends.
  10. 60% of women and girls are aware of PCOS, 59% are aware of endometriosis and 58% are aware of heavy menstrual bleeding as a gynaecological condition. Yet only 39% are aware of fibroids, and only 1 in 5 (20%) are aware of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Only 10% are aware of adenomyosis and 16% are not aware of any of these gynaecological conditions.

*defined as having female sex on their birth certificate or gender recognition certificate, in-line with the National Census question on sex. Whilst this may include some trans women and exclude some trans men, it is nationally representative. Of those surveyed, 98% had had at least one period. No national statistic for “people who menstruate” exists, which is why we could not use that phrase.

** There are 10,549,369 (10.5M) women and girls aged 16-40 in the UK as of the 2021 ONS midyear estimates.