A survey assessing the impact of symptoms related to the menstrual cycle and perceptions of workplace productivity: considerations for employer-sponsored menstrual health programs.

BACKGROUND

Hormonal-related symptoms experienced during natural or contraceptive-driven menstrual cycles have implications on work-related productivity; however, employer-sponsored menstrual health resources are widely unavailable. Actionable research-based evidence is needed to develop menstrual health programs that proactively help working females mitigate their hormonal-related symptoms and optimize their hormone profiles and work-related performance. This study sought to evaluate the prevalence and severity of hormonal-related symptoms and assess the directional impact of hormonal-related symptoms on work-related productivity across cyclical hormone phases.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, descriptive questionnaire was used to measure hormonal-related symptoms and work-related productivity in 372 working females of reproductive age in the United States. The validated Menstrual Distress Questionnaire was used to measure the prevalence and severity of hormonal-related symptoms. The Menstrual Cycle-Related Work Productivity Questionnaire was modified and used to assess perceptions of work-related productivity measures across all cyclical hormone phases. Cumulative link mixed models and Bayesian adjacent category models were employed to determine the relationship between hormonal-related symptoms and work-related productivity, independent of age, body mass index (BMI), heavy bleeding experience, cyclical hormone phase, contraceptive use, Exos employment status and other hormonal-related symptoms.

RESULTS

Hormonal-related symptoms were present across cyclical hormone phases, and the most severe disturbances were experienced during the bleed-phase. Distributions of perceived work productivity were significantly more negative during the pre-bleed and bleed phases and more positive during the late follicular and early luteal phases. Self-reported hormonal-related symptoms were significantly associated with perceptions of work-related productivity, independent of potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

Cyclical hormone fluctuations impact perceived work-related productivity variably by phase. Self-reported hormonal-related symptoms are associated with perceptions of work-related productivity. Our findings identify important considerations for the development of menstrual health programming to optimize the lived experience of female physiology in the workplace.