Nearly four in five women in the UK (16-39 year olds) feel uncomfortable talking about their periods in some capacity, according to a new YouGov poll released on behalf of ActionAid today.
Just 21% of the women quizzed in the study of 2,140 adults said they would be happy discussing menstruation with anyone.
Nearly half (47%) said they would feel uncomfortable talking about periods with their dads and one in three said it's not something they'd want to chat about with their male friends.
One in five women polled said they wouldn't be happy bringing the topic with their mum or their partner, either.
As well as feeling embarrassed about the topic of periods, the study shows many women lack knowledge of them too.
A quarter of those surveyed admitted they don’t understand their menstrual cycle, while just 19% of 16-24 year olds keep track of the timing and frequency of their periods.
The study was commissioned by ActionAid ahead of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28 May.
The charity is launching a#periodpower campaign today, to get women talking about menstruation and raise awareness of the millions of women and girls around the world who don't have access to reliable sanitary products.
And it seems we're in urgent need of frank dialogue on the subject.
The startling results indicate that even in modern Britain, periods still carry a certain level of taboo and enigma; let alone in developing countries such as Nepal, where menstruation is actively treated as a stigma.
Interestingly, the study reflected a more relaxed attitude among UK men towards periods.
Half of men surveyed (50%) say they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable buying sanitary protection for women yet only 16% of women say they would feel comfortable asking a man to buy sanitary products for them.
Only 9% of men would feel uncomfortable discussing periods with their daughters, compared to the 47% of women who would feel uncomfortable talking about periods with their dads.
And 17% of men would find discussing periods with female friends uncomfortable, compared to 37% vice versa.
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But if women in Britain are reluctant to talk about their periods and lack understanding of them, this is only the tip of the iceberg compared to the global picture.
“Millions of girls living in some of the world’s poorest places grow up knowing nothing about menstruation before their first period, or dreading its arrival,” said Girish Menon, chief executive of ActionAid.
“Poverty, a wide range of cultural taboos attached to menstruation or being trapped in a humanitarian disaster can mean many women and girls are unable to access affordable sanitary products which can have a devastating and irreversible impact on their lives.”
The charity has asked illustrator Daisy Bernard to create a series of #periodpower "superheroes" (pictured throughout this piece) - complete with sanitary pad capes - who are empowered by menstruation.
You can find out which period superhero you are by taking their quiz here.
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By creating positive role models who celebrate their periods, ActionAid hopes to encourage the many young girls around the world who - held back by a lack of affordable sanitary products - often drop out of school altogether when they start menstruating.
“Often young girls will miss school during their periods, leading to many girls dropping out altogether, denying them their dignity and their right to education,” says Menon. “This puts them at greater risk of child marriage and getting pregnant at a younger age. These combined factors further exacerbate the cycle of poverty and inequality.”
Bring on the #periodpower, we say. To donate to ActionAid's campaign to help women and girls around the world with sanitary products, click here.
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