Search

AbstractMenstrual leave is a policy allowing menstruators to take paid or unpaid time off work if experiencing painful menstrual cycle-related symptoms or illnesses. Scholars have displayed an increased interest in menstrual leave, primarily owing to the rise in companies offering menstrual leave. Efforts have been made to theorise the potential benefits and drawbacks of menstrual leave. Building on prior work, this article conducts a thematic analysis of twelve menstrual leave policy announcements from companies in five countries. Guided by an intersectional feminist theoretical framework, the article uncovers two themes in menstrual leave policy announcements: (1) recognition of menstrual stigma and the potential to normalise menstruation and menstrual health; and (2) the potential for increased worker power. It subsequently develops two critical arguments: (1) menstrual leave may perpetuate (hetero)sexist beliefs and attitudes, and (2) menstrual leave may reify individual responsibility to manage menstruation and facilitate a positive culture around menstrual leave. This research adds to menstruation literature by being one of the few studies to investigate company-level menstrual leave policy announcements in a transnational context. A broader conceptualisation of menstrual leave, including the transition to ‘menstrual flexibility’ as an umbrella term, could help such policies become equity tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the prevalence of menstrual pain among women of reproductive age and its impact on their daily lives and professional responsibilities. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in July and August 2022. Phone interviews were carried out using a random system to select women aged between 15 and 49 years old. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables, contraception method used, characteristics of the menstrual pattern (pain and bleeding amount), its influence on their working life, and if they would need to resort to sick leaves due to the impairments arising from the menstrual symptoms. Results: A total of 1800 women representative of the Spanish population took part in this study. 72.6% of them report menstrual pain, with 45.9% requiring medication. 35.9% identify their menstrual bleeding as intense or very intense. 38.8% assert that menstrual discomforts affect their everyday life. 34.3% would have required not attending their work activities or having requested sick leave due to the discomforts, although only 17.3% of the women finally requested so, mainly because 58.4% considered that it might imply consequences in their professional environment, especially those with Higher Education. The women who report more discomfort are the youngest ones and those who resort to condoms as a contraceptive method (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Menstrual pain is a prevalent problem among women of reproductive age and can affect their everyday life and professional environment, requiring work leaves on some occasions. Plain language summary: This study is a starting point to know the prevalence of menstrual discomforts among Spanish women of reproductive age and their effect on the professional environment, to enable an assessment of the possible impact of the menstrual leave legislation recently implemented in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]