New research from the University of Portsmouth reveals how overlooked menstrual health is in the workplace, highlighting its significant impact on women’s well-being, attendance, productivity and inclusion.
Published in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, the study is the first to systematically examine the impact of severe menstrual symptoms at work, uncovering a major research gap and underscoring the need for inclusive policies to better support employees.
Within many societies—including at school and in the workplace—periods are seen as a taboo topic, often referred to as “feminine hygiene,” which can make it feel uncomfortable to discuss. This is reinforced by the media as adverts for feminine hygiene products are tightly controlled and often limited, which can reduce or stop discussions about menstruation and women’s bodies.
The study, which analyzed global research, looked for common themes, and combined the findings to show the different menstrual health challenges women face at work.
It highlighted how little research exists on the impact of menstrual health in the workplace, despite showing that 25% of women experience severe symptoms. These included cramps, breast tenderness, mood changes, headaches, fatigue, and back pain alongside more serious conditions such as heavy bleeding, painful periods, anemia, irregular cycles, or conditions such as fibroids and endometriosis.
While analyzing previous data, the researchers found a survey of more than 42,000 women aged 15 to 45, which revealed that 1 in 3 (38%) experienced menstrual symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities, including work, indicating the link between menstrual health and workplace performance.
During the research, three key themes were identified:
- Impact on women’s workplace well-being and overall quality of life
- Menstrual health symptoms, presenteeism and absenteeism in the workplace
- Organizational practices, policies and menstrual health inclusion programs
Professor Karen Johnston from the University’s School of Organizations, Systems and People, said, “Menstrual health remains a largely neglected area of research. The majority of existing studies in medical journals focus on clinical aspects, highlighting the need to use menopause research to support the argument for menstruation. Although other topics have received increased attention in the U.K., menstrual health continues to be underexplored.”
The study also found that supported employees are more productive, take fewer sick days, stay in their roles longer, and engage more, underscoring why this issue needs to be taken seriously as the impact can also lead to depression, poor concentration, reduced performance, and an overall negative effect on women’s well-being at work.
The findings further revealed that only 18% of organizations include some form of menstrual health support within their well-being initiatives, and just 12% provide dedicated menstrual health support, highlighting how much menstrual health affects women and emphasizing the need for improved understanding, training, and policy support.
Lead author Amtullah Oluwakanyinsola Adegoke, said, “We need to recognize that women and girls menstruate—it’s a natural part of life. As members of society, their needs should be acknowledged as part of the life cycle. While menopause awareness has grown, menstrual health and endometriosis are still not widely understood.”
The study emphasized the importance of creating more inclusive and healthy workplaces by introducing supportive measures such as menstrual leave, flexible working, access to hygiene products, and encouraging open conversations. In the U.K., there is no legal requirement for paid menstrual or “period” leave, so employees must typically use standard sick leave.
It also called for more research to identify organizational practices that better support women experiencing severe menstrual health issues at work.
“It shouldn’t be a taboo topic—it should be part of an organization’s health and well-being agenda. Alongside training, organizations should explore flexible working and ways to support employees experiencing severe menstrual problems,” added Professor Johnston.
More information:
Amtullah Oluwakanyinsola Adegoke et al, Menstrual discrimination: period pain, productivity and performativity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal (2025). DOI: 10.1108/edi-12-2024-0591
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University of Portsmouth
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