03 / The Facts
53 sources. 120 evidence points. UK and global research, each figure with who was asked and where it came from.
44%
Of UK girls aged 12–18 who had started periods, 44% in the Wellbeing of Women December 2023 survey reported being unable to participate in sport/physical activity due to period symptoms. Surveyed: 3,001 girls; 2,620 had started periods. Does not mean 44% of all adult women miss sport or permanently quit.
83%
In a UK August 2023 survey of 3,002 women and girls aged 16–40, 83% agreed that better period education is needed in school, college and university. A separate 83% response concerned accessible information about gynaecological conditions.
82%
Same August 2023 survey: 82% agreed that more accurate, accessible information on periods is needed.
51%
In a separate February 2025 UK consumer survey, 51% of surveyed women said they avoid exercise while on their period. Do not merge with 2023 girls survey.
36%, 20%, 11%
In the 2023 girls survey, 36% missed school/education, 20% said bedbound, 11% said symptoms made life feel not worth living. The last is a self-report, not a suicide count.
18.7% / 40.0%
Palmer et al., England cross-sectional online sample: severe period pain 18.7%; heavy bleeding 40.0% in past year. Ages 16-55; n=59,332 total, outcomes vary by response.
9 years 4 months
Endometriosis UK March 2026 charity-survey average reported time to diagnosis; not an NHS administrative national average.
69%
CIPD 2023 UK workplace survey: 69% of symptomatic respondents said menstrual symptoms negatively affected work; not annual absence rate.
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Get the free facts book01 / EDUCATION
83%
agreed there should be better education on periods in school, college or university.
3,002 UK women and girls aged 16–40 · August 2023. Wellbeing of Women / Censuswide · source wording awaiting final verification.
An education-survey response, not a measure of symptoms or a diagnosis. The finding describes the group surveyed. Human full-paper or clinical review is not claimed.
Read the original source02 / PARTICIPATION
44%
reported period symptoms had stopped them taking part in sport.
Girls aged 12–18 who had started periods (2,620 of 3,001 surveyed) · December 2023. Wellbeing of Women / Censuswide.
Reported sporting participation affected by symptoms, not “44% of all women quit sport”. Survey responses do not establish causation. Human full-paper or clinical review is not claimed.
Read the original source03 / BEING HEARD
9 years 4 months
average reported time to an endometriosis diagnosis among survey respondents.
Endometriosis UK respondent survey · March 2026. Endometriosis UK.
Specific to this endometriosis respondent survey. Not a universal waiting time or a figure for all health conditions. Human full-paper or clinical review is not claimed.
Read the original sourceOur research approach
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Adults may register contact interest separately from their health records, payments and membership. We are not collecting survey responses or enrolling children. There is no fabricated participant count.
Register adult survey interest →Protocol, sampling, instrument design, independent methodology and ethics review where required, consent, safeguarding and a lawful data-processing basis must come before participation. Size or representativeness cannot be promised before a valid design exists.
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