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Employers must act to address ‘harmful taboos’ around periods, say campaigners
Campaigners have called on employers to address the “culture of discomfort and ignorance” around periods
Employers must take proactive steps to address “harmful taboos” around menstruation, campaigners have warned, as research shows more than two-thirds of women in the UK have bad experiences at work because of their periods.
In a survey of more than 2,000 women by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 69 per cent of participants said they had a negative experience at work because of their menstrual symptoms.
More than half said they had had to miss work because of their period symptoms, with one in five taking sick leave. Only one in 10 women said their organisation provided support for menstrual health.
Now campaigners have called on employers to address the “culture of discomfort and ignorance” around periods and implement policies that acknowledge the needs of women.
“It’s high time we address the glaring oversight of menstrual health in the workplace,” Clare Knox, CEO of the training provider See Her Thrive, told Femtech World.
“We have the power to change this narrative and create a workplace where every individual feels valued, respected and supported in managing their health needs.
“Ignoring this crucial aspect of employee health and wellbeing not only perpetuates harmful taboos but also undermines workplace inclusivity and support.”
Ruby Raut, founder and CEO of the period pants brand Wuka, said that considering that most women experience periods for about 40 years of their lives and spend significant time at work, workplaces must acknowledge the challenges associated with menstruation.
“Employers should normalise discussions about periods and recognise periods as a natural aspect of life, fostering a fairer and more supportive environment for all employees, regardless of gender.
“Additionally, offering accommodations such as flexible hours or rest areas for those experiencing discomfort during their period can greatly support employees’ wellbeing.”
Research shows period stigma, a term that refers to the negative perception of menstruation and those who menstruate, is still rife in the UK.
According to a survey by WaterAid published last year, eight in 10 women in the UK feel they are held back in their careers by taboos around periods, with a staggering 85 per cent reporting experiencing stress or anxiety when managing their periods at work.
Petchara Newson, business development coordinator at the period poverty charity Freedom4Girls, said it is disheartening to see that menstrual health continues to be overlooked in the workplace.
“The silence and stigma surrounding menstruation perpetuate a culture of discomfort and ignorance, making it challenging for women to access the support they need,” she told Femtech World.
“Employers must take proactive steps to address these issues and create a more inclusive environment for all employees. This includes implementing policies that acknowledge the needs of menstruators, such as providing menstrual products, offering flexible work hours or remote options and promoting open dialogue about menstrual health.”
Newson called for more education and awareness campaigns to “debunk” myths and misconceptions and tackle the lack of public understanding about menstruation.
“Educating managers is an incredibly important first step. If they are not equipped with the right knowledge, those with periods and especially heavy periods will not feel comfortable asking for support.”
Terri Harris, education and communication manager at Bloody Good Period, said employers should understand the unique experiences and challenges people face and act accordingly.
“Employers should focus on improving the communications, culture and broader policy around periods in the workplace – and at the heart of this all – tackle the stigma that too often still accompanies any discussion around menstruation.
“If stigma is not tackled, the result is that people who menstruate – no matter what workplace changes are put in place – will still struggle to get and ask for the appropriate support they need in the workplace,” she explained.
With the demand for reproductive health benefits on the rise, Lauren Berkemeyer, chief marketing officer at the insurtech firm Yu Life, said that companies that hope to remain attractive to employees in a tight labour market should do more to challenge “outdated attitudes” and support women.
“Women suffer from debilitating cramps or brain fog, things that hamper a their abilities to work, but are not seeking help. As a result, many drop out of work.
“Remote work options and flexible schedules are key solutions this problem. Second to that, I believe, are workplace benefits that provide menstrual and menopausal support.
“YuLife partners with great women’s health apps like Hertility and Stella which not only help women understand their bodies, but manage symptoms that stand in the way of them working.”
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Light exercise and less sitting may reduce pregnant women’s risk of serious blood pressure complications, according to a new study.
Researchers have proposed a daily activity and sleep guide that they say was linked to a nearly 30 per cent lower risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
The suggested pattern includes fewer than eight hours of sedentary time, at least seven hours of light physical activity, around 22 minutes of more intense activity and nearly nine hours of sleep.
The University of Iowa-led study examined the daily behaviours of 470 pregnant women across all stages of pregnancy.
Participants wore monitors that measured physical activity over 24-hour periods and recorded how long they spent asleep.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include chronic high blood pressure, gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
Gestational hypertension is high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy, while pre-eclampsia is a potentially serious condition involving high blood pressure and signs that organs may be affected.
Sedentary behaviour means being mostly inactive, such as sitting or lying down.
Light physical activity can include casual walking, moving around the home or standing.
Moderate to vigorous activity includes movement such as brisk walking, where breathing and heart rate increase.
Kara Whitaker, associate professor in the department of health, sport, and human physiology at Iowa and corresponding author of the study, said: “We are identifying the optimal composition of movement behaviours across the day associated with the lowest risk of developing HDP and the most improved health outcomes.
“This blueprint holds for each and every trimester of pregnancy.”
Study participants were enrolled at sites in Iowa City, Pittsburgh and Morgantown, West Virginia.
The women wore activity and sleep monitors for at least one week during each trimester of pregnancy.
Four in five participants were non-Hispanic white and nearly a quarter lived in rural areas.
The data showed a steep rise in risk among pregnant women who were sedentary for more than 10 hours a day.
Women who increased light physical activity to at least four hours a day reduced their risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to 15 per cent from 30 per cent.
Whitaker said: “Just moving around more seems to have significant health benefits.
“And I think it also may be a more feasible target for women who are pregnant who are not exercising regularly.”
The researchers said they were surprised that longer durations of moderate to vigorous physical activity did not appear to provide additional benefit.
Sleep beyond a certain duration also did not appear to bring major further benefits.
Whitaker said: “Through this study, we are providing evidence that reducing sedentary behaviour and engaging in light physical activity are important, and maybe more important, when it comes to pregnancy and health.”
The findings may be relevant beyond pregnancy because clinical research has shown that women who develop hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are more than twice as likely to develop heart disease later in life.
Cardiovascular disease includes conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, such as heart disease and stroke.
Whitaker said: “We know that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women, and if we can intervene in pregnancy and prevent women from developing a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, we are putting them on a better trajectory, away from cardiovascular disease and toward more optimal cardiovascular health.”
The study was published online on June 10.
A second study, published online on May 27, looked more closely at the ratio and type of sedentary behaviour and light physical activity linked to a lower risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
Whitaker is a lead co-author on that study.
Co-authors in the June 10 study include Alex Crisp, Jaemyung Kim, Karina Smith, Donna Santillan, Mark Santillan and Bridget Zimmerman, from Iowa; Jacob Gallagher, from Iowa State University; Melissa Jones, from Oakland University in Michigan; Bethany Barone Gibbs, Katrina Wilhite, Alexis Thrower and Iqra Sheikh, from West Virginia University; and Sabera Rahman, Janet Catov, Christopher Kline and Maisa Feghali, from the University of Pittsburgh.
The National Institutes of Health, the University of Iowa Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the West Virginia Clinical and Translational Science Institute funded the research.
We are excited to reveal the winners of the third annual Femtech World Awards.
The winners were announced at a virtual event this afternoon attended by shortlisted companies, along with sponsors and judges.
The event welcomed guests from the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
Thank you to all 174 entries, as well as the sponsors for making the event possible.
See you in 2027!
Femtech World Awards 2026 Winners
Winner:
Shortlisted:
IVI RMA x Juno Genetics
Natural Cycles
Winner:
Highly commended:
U-Ploid
Shortlisted:
Hello Inside
Winner:
WISE HF, led by Prof. Mary Ryder
Highly commended:
Cardiac College for Women
Shortlisted:
Hyvelle Ferguson-Davis
CognitiveCare
Winner:
Highly commended:
Youterus
Shortlisted:
ŌURA
Winner:
Shortlisted:
LeanShield by ParrotPal Group
Perigen
Winner:
Shortlisted:
Body Moody
Looop
Winner:
Shortlisted:
Owning Your Menopause
Womeno
Winner:
Shortlisted:
The Blue Box
Celbrea
Winner:
Shortlisted:
HealCycle
Mor
Winner:
Shortlisted:
HRC Fertility
Mira
Pregnant women’s expectations about postpartum sleep may predict sleep quality after birth, outweighing prior sleep and psychiatric history, a study suggests.
The findings suggest attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy could be a modifiable risk factor for postpartum sleep concerns.
They also indicate that, among women expecting the poorest sleep, higher postpartum anxiety may further worsen sleep quality.
Sammy Dhaliwal, lead author is clinical health psychologist and research fellow in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dhaliwal said: “Most pregnant women in our sample anticipated poor postpartum sleep before it occurred, and it was striking that those expectations predicted worse sleep outcomes even after accounting for factors such as prior sleep disorders, psychiatric history, and number of previous births.
“This suggests that attitudes and beliefs about sleep during pregnancy may represent a modifiable target for early intervention before postpartum sleep problems emerge.”
Sleep disturbance affects an estimated 60 to 80 per cent of postpartum women and is linked to a higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Researchers said it is often regarded as an expected part of life after childbirth rather than a health issue that may be addressed earlier.
The study enrolled 432 pregnant women at about 24 weeks of gestation, meaning around 24 weeks into pregnancy.
Participants completed measures of their expectations about postpartum sleep, current sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and mood using validated depression and anxiety scales.
Assessments were repeated at six, 12 and 24 weeks postpartum.
A subset of 49 women also wore wrist actigraphy devices at six to eight weeks postpartum.
Actigraphy uses a wearable device, similar to a watch, to estimate sleep and wake patterns based on movement.
The results showed that 70 per cent of pregnant women, or 301 of 432 participants, expected poor sleep in the postpartum period.
Researchers found that predicted sleep disruption during pregnancy was a significant predictor of postpartum sleep concerns.
Among first-time pregnant women without prior health concerns, those who expected greater sleep disturbance had significantly more disrupted sleep after birth, measured by both actigraphy and self-report.
Among women who expected the worst sleep quality, higher postpartum anxiety significantly worsened both measured sleep and self-reported sleep, independent of anxiety levels during pregnancy.
Dhaliwal said the findings point to two possible areas for intervention: addressing sleep-related beliefs during pregnancy and treating postpartum anxiety.
Dhaliwal said: “Postpartum sleep disruption is often treated only after problems develop, but our findings suggest there may be an opportunity to intervene earlier during pregnancy.
“Addressing sleep-related beliefs and postpartum anxiety during prenatal and postpartum care may help improve sleep and emotional well-being in new mothers.”
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