University of Portsmouth researchers call for more inclusive workplaces for women
It's after they found one in three women experience severe menstrual symptoms
Last updated 2nd Dec 2025
University of Portsmouth researchers are calling for more inclusive workplaces for women.
Their study highlighted how little research exists on the impact of menstrual health in the workplace, despite showing that 25% of women experience severe symptoms.
They found one in three women aged 15 to 45 experienced menstrual symptoms severe enough to interfere with daily activities.
Karen Johnston, Professor of Organisational Studies, Faculty of Business & Law, School of Organisations, 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 UK, menstrual health continues to be underexplored.”
During the research, three key themes were identified:
- Impact on women’s workplace wellbeing and overall quality of life
- Menstrual health symptoms, presenteeism and absenteeism in the workplace
- Organisational practices, policies and menstrual health inclusion programmes
The findings revealed that only 18 per cent of organisations include some form of menstrual health support within their wellbeing initiatives, and just 12 per cent provide dedicated menstrual health support.
Lead author Amtullah Oluwakanyinsola Adegoke, said: “We need to recognise 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.”