1/3 of Women Worry That Disclosing Female Health Issues at Work Could Negatively Impact Their Careers

Research released today by Irish Life Health reveals that one-third of women are fearful of negative career repercussions if they disclose female health-related issues at work.

The research reveals that almost one-third of women (29%) take sick leave to cope with female health issues, with almost 1 in 5 choosing to take annual leave for this reason. Young women, aged 16 – 34, are much more negatively impacted, with almost half taking sick leave (43%) and one-third (31%) taking unpaid leave to manage female health concerns.

Workplace support is a key priority for women, with close to half of women surveyed (44%) stating they would consider moving to a new organisation if it offered better female health supports. However, the research reveals that just 1 in 3 employers (34%) have dedicated policies in place to address female health needs, and fewer than half (41%) of women feel that they get sufficient support from their employers.

Many women report female health issues at different stages of life, such as menstrual health challenges, fertility difficulties and perimenopause or menopause issues. These female health issues directly affect some women’s ability to work, with 46% citing difficulties related to menstrual health, 38% reporting challenges due to fertility issues, and one-third acknowledging that symptoms associated with perimenopause or menopause impact their work performance.

Speaking about these findings, Ann Marie Nestor, Managing Director, Irish Life Health, said:

“At Irish Life Health, we are committed to supporting women throughout their health journey, whether at home or at work. The findings on women’s health in the workplace are concerning – despite making up half of the adult population, many women still feel uncomfortable discussing their health concerns at work, often fearing a negative impact on their careers. The evidence is clear, supporting women with their health needs is essential.

“As we continue to enhance our benefits, addressing the unique health challenges faced by women remains a priority. Irish Life Health is proud to be the first and only health insurer to offer customers direct access to a range of specialist female health services, including a network of GPs who specialise in female health, a new at home female fertility assessment from Hertility, and full cover for an initial consult with a female pelvic health physio.

“We are also delighted that Irish Life Health will be at this year’s WellFest event, sponsoring the ‘WellFem’ tent where people can find out more about female health supports and chat with the team of experts about their specific health concerns.”

Commenting on the findings, Dr. Máire Finn, GP specialising in female health, states:

“The findings from this research clearly highlight the issues women face when it comes to female health. I welcome the opportunity to meet with women at the ‘WellFem’ tent at WellFest to discuss all areas of female health and hopefully break down some of the taboos, unfortunately still associated with female health issues. I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about female health or looking for advice to pop down and speak to one of the many experts who are on site all weekend.”

The Irish Life Health WellFem tent is a brand-new addition to this year’s WellFest, dedicated to women’s health and offering expert advice, insightful panel discussions, and opportunities to speak with leading female health experts throughout the weekend. Panel discussions will take place across the weekend with Deirdre O’Neill, Hertility, Aoife Harvey, women’s health physio, Dr Márie Finn, GP specialising in female health, and the founders of Herology, Dr. Michelle Hone and Dr. Sarah Kelly.