Periods are a natural part of life, but for many students, they’re still a source of stress, embarrassment, and even missed education. Research shows that period stigma in schools and a lack of proper support have a real impact on attendance, well-being, and confidence.

At POM, we believe menstrual health education and access to sustainable products are essential to creating equal opportunities for every student. Let’s break down the facts.

 

How Many Students Miss School Because of Periods?

Periods cause millions of students worldwide to miss class:

• In the UK, a Plan International UK survey found that 64% of girls aged 14–21 have missed part of a school or college day because of their period, while 13% miss a whole day at least once a month. The reasons weren’t just pain or heavy bleeding, but also lack of access to products, embarrassment, or fear of leaks.
• Across the UK, this adds up to over 3 million missed school days every year due to periods.
• In Uganda and Indonesia, around 50% of adolescent girls miss school during menstruation, losing up to 24 days per year.
• Even in high-income countries, the issue persists. A 2019 Dutch study of 32,000 university students found that nearly 14% had missed school or work due to menstrual symptoms, with students losing around 9 days of productivity per year.
• The 2021 study by Share the Dignity showed that over 40% of young people reported missing school at some point because of their period.
  

These figures show that school absenteeism due to periods is a global problem, not just one limited to low-income regions.

How Do Girls Feel About Their Period at School?

The emotional impact is just as important as the missed days:

• 56% of UK girls feel embarrassed or ashamed talking to teachers about menstruation. 
• 57% have faced negative comments, from being told periods are “disgusting” to being teased about leaks or using pads and tampons.
• 1 in 10 girls have been bullied or teased by a teacher because of their period.
• Almost 1 in 7 girls didn’t understand what was happening when they had their first period, and only 1 in 5 feel comfortable talking to a teacher about it.

This culture of silence and stigma leaves many students anxious, distracted, and unsupported.

The Emotional and Physical Toll

Periods don’t just affect attendance—they impact mental health and wellbeing:

• 97% of girls experience period pain, with nearly 1 in 10 describing it as very severe
• Common emotional effects include sadness (43%), anxiety (39%), and depression (33%).
• Alarmingly, 11% of girls said they felt like life wasn’t worth living during their period symptoms.
  

This highlights the urgent need for better menstrual health support in schools.

Why Menstrual Health in Schools Matters

When students are missing school, feeling too embarrassed to ask for help, or pushing through severe pain in silence, their education and well-being are compromised. Periods should never be a barrier to opportunity, period.

So how are we going to normalise menstruation in classrooms through:

• Open conversations about menstrual health. More education for all, not just girls, around menstrual cycles and how periods affect us.
• Access to free or affordable period products, in particular ones that make the process of going to school easier and less stressful 
• Supportive school facilities. In turn, more conversations and education around periods will continue to destigmatise

These changes can make a huge difference.

POM’s Mission

At POM, we’re committed to breaking period stigma and ensuring no student has to miss out because of their cycle. We do this through our donation program, in which for every 25 products we sell, we donate one to someone experiencing period poverty. Plus, our sustainable period underwear and medical-grade menstrual cups are designed to give peace of mind, comfort, and freedom, whether in class, on the sports field, or outdoors. 

Education shouldn’t stop for a period. Together, we can make sure every student has the products, support, and confidence they deserve.