Only 1 in 5 women tells her boss that this is why she's taking a sick day.
Netherlands scientists asked almost 33,000 women ages 15 to 45 to discuss their menstrual cycles and how their symptoms impacted their work between July and October 2017. The result: women lose almost nine days of workplace productivity on average from menstrual cramp discomfort, which is caused by uterine contractions. And just over 3% of them said that the symptoms get so severe that they stay home from work during every or almost every period.
The analysis published in the British Medical Journal found that more than 26,000 women attempt to push through the pain each month, but they are often not working at 100% — and so researchers recorded an average self-reported loss of workplace productivity of 33% on an average of 23.2 days over the year. This presenteeism — or working while physically sick or mentally “checked out” — added up to an average of 8.9 days of lost productivity annually.
And most U.S. states still tax tampons and sanity pads — even though they are a medical necessity for the female half of the population for about 40 years of their lives — while erectile dysfunction aid Viagra is not. Nine states, including New York, Florida, Illinois and Nevada — have eliminated the tampon tax, but a woman’s monthly cycle is still a taboo topic in many places.
About 40%-50% of women have primary dysmenorrhea — the medical term for painful periods. And a 2012 study published in American Family Physician found that one in five women suffers period symptoms painful enough to disrupt her daily activities. And 10% suffer endometriosis, a uterine tissue disorder that can cause pelvic pain and make period symptoms even worse.
So some countries — including Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea and China — have begun offering paid menstrual leave in recent years, and private Indian companies Culture Machine and Gozoop, Australia’s Victorian Women’s Trust, and U.K. employer Coexist also have instituted paid period leave for female employees. But whether such policies help or hinder gender equality in the workplace is up for debate.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
7 Strange and Surprising Heart Attack Symptoms Women Should Not IgnoreMost of us think of stabbing chest pain as the telltale symptom of a heart attack. But that's not always how symptoms present—particularly among women.
Read more »
Cory Booker Fought For Black Trans Women at the Democratic DebatesAs Pride Month nears its conclusion, Cory Booker was unequivocal in his support of LGBTQ+ Americans, citing the prevailing fear among LGBTQ+ children to simply attend their schools, and ongoing violence against the trans community DemDebate
Read more »
Rep. Larson's Social Security 2100 Act aims to help women, minorities
Read more »
Cast of 'Younger' stars in new PSA to protect women against violenceThe cast of 'Younger' is taking a stand to protect women against violence.
Read more »