Women’s health
Whatever your age or your lifestyle, your health should be a priority. Get the guidance on key health topics, such as periods, menopause and endometriosis, along with everyday wellbeing advice.
How can we help you?
Common women’s health conditions
Period health
Get advice on managing symptoms like heavy, painful or irregular periods. We’ve got tips for you or how to help loved ones.
The menopause
Understand if symptoms are signs of the menopause, what to expect and how to get support for yourself or someone else.
Endometriosis
A lot of people don’t know what endometriosis is. But we do, and we’re here to help you manage symptoms.
Understanding period health and symptoms
If you or someone close is experiencing heavy, painful or irregular periods, we can help.
Get the facts about common conditions
Everyone’s period is different, but if it’s affecting day-to-day activities, there are ways to manage it.
Manage symptoms with a unique care plan
You don’t have to face period problems alone. Spend time with a GP who’ll listen and create a personalised plan for your period symptoms. You also get 24/7 nurse support by phone – there for whenever you need it. Available to anyone over 18.
How to track symptoms at home
Log your symptoms in our ready-made diary to learn about your cycle. This can help a GP spot patterns too.
Self-care for heavy or painful periods
Try different ways to ease your symptoms, from gentle yoga to switching to a menstrual cup.
Ways to manage your period at work
If you feel uncomfortable, follow our top five ways to get you through your working day.
Talking to children about periods
Starting the conversation can ease worries and help them feel prepared. Get tips on what to say and when.
Support before and during the menopause
Get answers from our experts on the signs of menopause and treatment options.
Get personalised menopause support
Talk through your symptoms with a menopause-trained GP. Get a personalised treatment plan and support for a full year. Plus a follow-up appointment and 24/7 advice by phone.
The Bupa Menopause Plan is available to anyone, even if you don’t have health insurance.
Bupa members can speak to a menopause-trained nurse, 24/7 on our Anytime HealthLine. Just call 0345 601 3216^.
What is the menopause?
Understand what changes can happen to the body. We’ll explore why it happens and when to expect it.
Are my symptoms the menopause?
From brain fog to anxiety, there are lots of symptoms you may be experiencing that could be menopause.
Can menopause happen early?
On average in the UK, menopause begins at 51 but it can happen sooner. Let’s look at some of the signs.
How do I support a loved one?
Whether you’re a partner, friend or colleague, we’ve got tips to help you understand and show you care.
Menopause
Real menopause experiences
Women’s health | Menopause | Real stories
Watch in 3 mins
The menopause is a natural part of life, but it doesn’t always come naturally into conversation. Listen to four real women share their personal experiences of going through the menopause.
AMANDA: Is it normal?
VICTORIA: Is it normal?
SALLY: Is this normal?
PATRICIA: Is this normal?
AMANDA: I was perimenopausal at age 47 and then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So, my menopause symptoms have been brought on artificially.
VICTORIA: I was actually told I was in the menopause, and as a 34-year-old lady, that's something very difficult to grasp.
SALLY: It was suspected that I may have multiple sclerosis or a brain tumour, and then was, I believe, misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia. Eventually to get the diagnosis of being in menopause, or perimenopause, was a big weight off.
VICTORIA: So, I'm currently in the perimenopausal state. I can feel very down and very low, I can feel quite depressed, and then the hormone swings can create all sorts of mood swings.
SALLY: My menopause started with some bizarre symptoms. My scalp was really, really sensitive, couldn't touch it.
VICTORIA: The hot flushes is a biggie.
AMANDA: One day you can be very positive about things, and positive about life, and the next day you can be so low, and it's hard to dig yourself out of that.
SALLY: And that's menopause.
VICTORIA: If I could change one thing it would be that people were more educated around menopause, but specifically for younger women.
AMANDA: You learn to adapt and you know, 'Okay, this isn't me being silly, it's just part of the menopause process that I'm going through.'
SALLY: Started exercising a few years ago. I decided that the best way to deal with the bad days was to be stronger physically.
AMANDA: For me that's my way of coping, I need to be open about what I'm going through.
SALLY: It's a bit liberating really to obviously not have to worry about the monthly cycle any more.
VICTORIA: After a few months of being on HRT, I felt like a new woman. I was back to my normal self.
AMANDA: I can't go on HRT for my medical reasons, but I've learnt to cope with the menopause in other ways. I'm hopeful that by sharing my story people will be able to share their stories more or understand about the menopause more.
SALLY: Is it normal to be misdiagnosed?
PATRICIA: To lose your mental health resilience?
VICTORIA: To be diagnosed with early menopause at 34?
AMANDA: To have such intense menopause symptoms after going through cancer treatment?
Menopause
Is my experience normal?
Symptoms | Hormone replacement therapy | Self-care
Watch in 2 mins
Hear from three Bupa experts on what menopause is like for different people. They’ll advise on common symptoms and what you can do to manage stress levels as you experience menopause.
With so much information available to women, there is scope for confusion around the menopause and its treatment.
It is natural for you to have questions and to want answers and I would like to help you cut through any confusion to give you information about the menopause and the latest thinking surrounding HRT as a suitable treatment, which your NHS GP may be able to prescribe for you.
There is lots of language used to describe the different stages of the menopause, but what does it all mean and who can it impact? The average age of menopause is 51 and women can experience symptoms for a number of years after that.
There are women who will not become menopausal until their mid to late who will experience the menopause earlier.
If you experience symptoms earlier between 40 and 45, it is referred to as the early menopause.
Many women will experience symptoms sometime before they stop having regular periods we call this the perimenopause.
There are also women who enter the menopause earlier than they otherwise would have done due to treatments they have received for other conditions such as Endometriosis or cancers.
If you reach the menopause before or premature ovarian insufficiency.
Information around treatment for the menopause can also be confusing, particularly around hormone replacement therapy, often referred to as HRT as it is often very general and usually does not always consider the individual risk of women.
HRT is not new, it has been used for treating menopause for around 50 years, starting in the 1970s and in that time there have been many changes.
There are a range of products to choose from and doctors are now very skilled at working with women to work out which hormones they may benefit from and how these hormones would best be given is that in a patch, a gel, an oral medication or through vaginal creams or pessaries, it means that the doses, the formulations and the method of delivery of hormones are now not comparable to the way hormones were used 20 years ago.
HRT has been seen as controversial in the past, mainly due to studies published in the early 2000s which cast a significant shadow on HRT use worldwide.
This resulted in millions of women being advised to stop their HRT treatment and many more millions of women being denied HRT treatment for the decade or so that followed.
The types of hormones used now, the modes of delivery and the population of women we now treat are all different to those observed in the study 20 years ago.
Therefore, it is important that we re-educate a generation of women and their doctors on whom to prescribe hormones to whilst ensuring this is done as safely as possible.
The risk of breast cancer from use of HRT is not as significant as many may believe.
Some studies show that taking combined HRT, that is HRT combining both oestrogen and a progesterone may be associated with a very small increased risk of breast cancer. However, this information has been generally misinterpreted, which has made people fear that the risk is far greater than it actually is, leading women to feel confused and anxious about the perceived risk of breast cancer.
Let us put it into context for those women with an increased risk of breast cancer, i.e. older women, those taking HRT for longer periods of time or those taking older types of combined HRT, the risk of breast cancer is similar to the level of risk associated with any woman not taking HRT who is overweight or drinks around two glasses of wine a day.
So context in this example is really important this is how we better understand the risks. For many women there is no increased risk of breast cancer, such as if they are under 50, if they only need oestrogen, or if they are taking a more modern form of progesterone known as micronised progesterone.
Everyone is susceptible to breast cancer.
Our personal risk is made up of two factors our inherited risk and modifiable risks.
Our inherited risks are made up of factors such as gender at birth, age, family history, we know that women are higher risk than men, older women are higher risk than younger women and some types of family history of cancer can also indicate a higher risk.
We cannot change our inherited risk, however we can change our modifiable risks, we can lower our overall risk of breast cancer.
We have clear evidence that certain lifestyle choices can affect our risk of breast cancer therefore, if we change our lifestyle, we are able to reduce our personal risk. Drinking, alcohol, smoking and being obese are significant risk factors for breast cancer therefore, we can confidently say that by reducing your body fat, limiting your alcohol intake and stopping smoking, you can reduce your personal risk for breast cancer.
Low oestrogen levels caused by the menopause can lead to a number of physical and emotional symptoms, including hot flushes, low libido, night sweats, brain fog, muscle and joint pains and mood swings.
The benefit of HRT is that it can help to ease many of these symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Your doctor may suggest you consider HRT if your symptoms of the menopause interfere with your daily life.
As well as dramatically improving menopause symptoms HRT also reduces your risk of osteoporosis and may help other health problems associated with the menopause, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.
For the vast majority of women, there is clear evidence that HRT is likely to be more beneficial than potentially harmful.
However, there are a handful of conditions that may affect your ability to take hormones.
So it is important that you have a full consultation with your doctor before you take any medication.
A whole generation of GPs trained or worked as GPs during the 2000s when HRT went out of vogue due to widespread negative press, as a result, some GPs became de-skilled in recognising menopause and prescribing HRT.
Since then, prominent medics and scientists have voiced concerns about the statistics and conclusions drawn from those studies publicised in the 2000s.
Whilst less HRT was being prescribed, a number of other medications, such as antidepressants and supplements were explored to see if they were effective alternatives.
Although some antidepressants have been found to improve hot flushes for some women none of the alternatives have been found to be as effective as hormone replacement. Menopause specialists around the world are now found to be empowering women by providing improved information which allows women to understand their personal risks and benefits when considering whether HRT is right for them.
It is essential that every woman is looked at as an individual, assessing her symptoms and her risks with a professional to share the decision about the best treatment for them.
It is important that women can make their own informed decisions as to how to approach their treatment and that they are offered HRT when appropriate.
If you are experiencing symptoms of the menopause, I would encourage you to read widely on the topic, discuss with friends or family, and understand your own risks and your own thoughts about which treatment or approach appeals to you.
I then recommend that you have a chat with your doctor and together discuss the potential risks and benefits of hormone treatment for you whilst considering what lifestyle changes you could engage in to either manage your symptoms or minimise any risks to your long term health.
HRT can be obtained through your NHS GP, but whether you are a customer or not, there is lots of support which Bupa can offer you, including expert advice and support in our women's health hub and the Bupa Health Clinics Menopause Plan and for Bupa customers, we provide support on any mental health symptoms related to the menopause.
You can also speak to a menopause trained nurse throughout Bupa any time Healthline or a GP through Bupa Digital GP.
As a perimenopausal or menopausal women today please feel reassured that so much more is known about the role of hormones in our general health that you can feel very optimistic about menopause care now and in the future.
Help with endometriosis
If you think you might have endometriosis, have just been diagnosed, or want to support someone, we’ve got facts and advice for you.
Endometriosis:
Answers on endometriosis with Mr Chris Mann
Common symptoms | Diagnosis | Treatment
Watch in 6 mins
Consultant Gynaecologist, Chris, talks about symptoms and steps to getting a diagnosis. We also ask about treatments and the best ways to support someone with endometriosis.
Endometriosis matters, it matters to millions of people and their families. It can be extremely painful and affect your quality of life or you could have no symptoms at all.
For many, it is a hidden mystery illness. That is why we have spoken to an endometriosis expert to get you the answers you need.
Endometriosis is a condition whereby cells that are very similar to the lining of the womb called endometrium are found outside of the womb.
We think it affects about one point five million women in the U.K., so approximately 10 percent of the adult female population.
We tend to think of five sets of symptoms. So the first is, do they have very, very painful periods? And I do not mean periods where the pain will be resolved by one or two paracetamol.
The next symptom is do they have pain with intercourse? Typically, this is pain deep within the pelvis, it is at the time of intercourse but it can also be afterwards and it can last from a few hours to up to two or three days.
Does she have pain when she is opening her bowels? This typically is related to the time of the month when they are having a period, but it can also occur leading up to the periods and it can occur around ovulation or even at random between periods.
Are they having pain when they are passing urine? So are they going more frequently? Do they feel like they have got a urinary tract infection even though when they go to the GP's, a dipstick analysis of the urine shows that there is nothing in there; and finally, do they have pelvic pain throughout the month? Do they have pain not when they are on their periods, not when they are going to the toilet, not when they are having intercourse but just throughout the month.
Do they have pelvic pain, do they have bloating, do they have profound fatigue?
As you can imagine, all of these things collectively can have a huge impact, so they can affect their ability to hold down a normal work pattern.
The impact of endometriosis on personal relationships can be extremely profound and this can relate to a number of things.
First and foremost, patients often find it either extremely difficult or impossible to have an intimate relationship with their partner, it is inevitably going to have a negative impact on somebody's mental health and up to 80 plus percent of patients will describe that.
I think it is fairly well established now that it takes around, on average eight years from the onset of symptoms to actually achieving a diagnosis, which from a medical perspective is a huge period of time. Why does it take so long? Well, the symptoms that a patient can exhibit are very, very variable between patients.
Very, very rarely do you get two patients who are just the same and it is important to remember that when you are dealing with endometriosis.
So in order to achieve a diagnosis of endometriosis the gold standard is something called a laparoscopy.
So this is keyhole surgery and it involves the patients coming to hospital either as a day case, sometimes overnight.
They are put to sleep under general anaesthetic and then a small incision is made in the umbilicus or the navel or belly button and that allows the Gynaecologist to look everywhere from the diaphragm down to the pelvic floor and really check to see if there is any endometriosis present.
So as you can imagine, if a patient turns up at the General Practitioner's office, it can be really very difficult for a GP to say, well you have got endometriosis and this is how we are going to manage it.
We are frequently asked, are there any treatments available for endometriosis and the answer is yes, definitely.
I would say that the gold standard treatment is surgical for those patients who are able to undergo surgery and ideally should involve excision or removal of the endometriosis.
If a patient is not able to undergo surgery or is not willing to or can not do or wants to defer it for a period of time there are some medications that can help with the symptoms but it is really important to realise that they do not actually get rid of the underlying condition. So we would typically start with the really simple analgesia regiments such as Ibuprofen or Brufen, Naproxen in combination with Paracetamol.
Now patients may find that that is helpful, they may find that actually it really does not do anything but just take the edge off at the most. So then you are looking at the stronger drugs, so the Codeine based drugs such as Co-Codamol.
The second branch of medicine that could be used to sometimes control the symptoms is hormonal control, so this would involve typically using the combined oral contraceptive pill in a continuous fashion.
How can we make the lives of patients with endometriosis better? Well, I think first of all, we need to be able to talk about it.
Yes, it is a gynaecological condition and yes a lot of people still find it embarrassing or difficult to talk about gynaecological issues.
However, the more we talk about it, the more we get used to it, the more people will understand it, they will accept it and this will help in the management of the diagnosis of endometriosis.
By talking about endometriosis, we can help it feel a little less hidden. Explore more about endometriosis on our Women's Health Hub at bupa.co.uk/womens-health. Because endometriosis matters.
Useful women’s health and wellbeing information
Female health changes to look out for
From breast checks to mental health check-ins, there’s a lot you can do to spot health changes and seek support.
10 ways to manage your stress levels
Everyone gets stressed from time to time. How you deal with it can make a big difference to how long it lasts.
Looking after your mental health as a mum
When trying to keep up with life, it can be easy to forget to do things that improve your wellbeing. Try these ideas.
Are you eligible for a free NHS health check?
Depending on your age, it could be time for routine cervical, breast or bowel cancer screenings.
Concerned about symptoms?
With or without insurance, we can help you
If you’re a Bupa health insurance customer
You have unlimited access to GPs and nurses around the clock, who can give you advice and support for any health worries.
Speak to a nurse 24/7 on the Anytime HealthLine by calling 0345 601 3216.^
On our Bupa Blua Health app† you can book unlimited GP appointments. Speak to a doctor on the phone or by video call.
If you don’t have health insurance with us
No problem. We can still help you on a pay-as-you-go basis. Just pay for the treatment you need when you need it.
Can Bupa help you take control of your health?
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This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.
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† Customers who live on the Isle of Man, or have a Bupa Standard, Bupa Premium or Bupa Your Choice policy, do not have access to Bupa Blua Health, but can access GP24 provided by HealthHero. Some corporate schemes don't include access to Bupa Blua Health or GP24, so please check your scheme documents or give us a call.
