29% of British women with heavy periods left housebound, survey reveals, including Jacqueline Jossa

More than a quarter of British women who suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding are left housebound every month, a survey has revealed.

The research – the first of its kind, which polled more than 2,000 women between the ages of 18 and 55 – found that almost half of those affected by heavy bleeding had to stop daily activities, and 28 per cent said their mental health suffered.

The poll, conducted by women’s health company Hologic, also found that four in ten of those suffering find their periods ‘very painful’ and 29 per cent said they were unable to leave the house during their period.

Heavy menstrual bleeding is defined as needing to change sanitary pads or tampons every one to two hours for longer than seven days, during which time sufferers may bleed through their clothes or on to bedding.

Despite the debilitating symptoms, the survey revealed that 42 per cent of women had not spoken to a doctor about the problem.

Many sufferers have also claimed their symptoms were dismissed by doctors, with three-quarters of women reporting they were told by a healthcare professional that their symptoms were normal.

This can cause other conditions where women experience heavy bleeding to be ignored. For example, painful endometriosis, where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the uterus, takes eight years on average to be diagnosed.

Some 40 per cent of the women polled had been treated for heavy bleeding with the contraceptive pill, which can make periods lighter and more regular, though it can also cause side effects such as mood swings, nausea and headaches.

While much awareness has been raised about the impact of menopause on working, little attention has been paid to heavy menstrual bleeding, which affects one in five British women.

Former I’m A Celebrity winner and ex-EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa, 30, says she is left unable to work for part of each month due to her periods.

‘Since having children, my periods have become unbearable and a real hindrance to my life,’ she said in an ITV documentary last year. ‘My agent now books and arranges work around the schedule of my period.

‘Every month I disappear for four days. I call it “hell week”. The physical pain that I feel when I’m on my periods really hurts. They remind me of the beginning of contractions.’

Eve Williams, a part-time teacher from South Wales, said heavy bleeding has ‘controlled her life’ since the age of 11.

The 28-year-old told The Mail on Sunday: ‘As a teenager I was unable to go out and see my friends when I was on my period, but I was too scared to tell anyone why. I was embarrassed.

‘As an adult I have been unable to go to work because I’m in too much pain, which has impacted my finances and my ability to pay rent. It has also impacted relationships. It affects everything – it’s not just bleeding.’

She first went to her doctor to complain about painful periods when she was 16, but was told that her symptoms were ‘just normal menstruation’.

Four in ten of those suffering find their periods ‘very painful’ and 29 per cent said they were unable to leave the house during their period

Ms Williams was later offered contraception to control her periods, but eventually developed anaemia due to the sustained blood loss – a condition where the body doesn’t have enough blood cells to meet its needs. She was prescribed codeine for the pain and last year had surgery for endometriosis.

‘Young girls need to know that heavy bleeding and severe pain is not normal,’ she added.

Tim Simpson, general manager of Hologic, said: ‘Too often women’s menstrual health concerns are stigmatised – taboo subjects that parents, teachers and sometimes even clinicians are reluctant to discuss.

‘Women need the confidence and knowledge to talk about their periods. It’s crucial that women receive sufficient education of what a “normal” period is and when to speak to a healthcare professional. It’s equally as important for GPs to be educated and trained in menstrual and gynaecological health.’

Women with heavy periods can be given medication to reduce bleeding alongside the hormonal contraceptive.

Monitoring for iron deficiency, a sign of anaemia, is also needed.

A spokesman for the charity Endometriosis UK said: ‘For too long, those with menstrual health conditions have not had access to the support they need. More must be done to ensure the right support is available.’