Heavy Periods Affect Women’s Productivity and Income
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ACOG NEWS RELEASEFor Release: October 1, 2002
Heavy Periods Affect Women’s Productivity and Income
WASHINGTON, DC — Based on an average 36.8-week work year, women with heavy periods work an estimated 3.6 fewer weeks per year and lose an estimated $1,692 annually in wages compared to the general female workforce, according to research presented in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Researchers analyzed data on all menstruating women aged 18-64 from the 1999 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Nearly 63% of women with a heavier than normal menstrual flow were currently working (for pay) versus 73.5% of women with a low or normal menstrual flow. Only half of women who reported having heavy periods perceived their health as excellent or very good compared to nearly 70% of women with low/normal flows.
Heavy periods can cause pain and discomfort, bring about significant social embarrassment, and substantially impact quality of life. The researchers say the 1999 NHIS data provide the first hard evidence that menstruation does have significant financial implications for women in the workplace.
Contact: David Cumming, MBChB, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at dcumming@ualberta.ca.
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Studies published in Obstetrics & Gynecology, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of ACOG. ACOG is the national medical organization representing over 40,000 physicians who provide health care for women.
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