Women don’t realise bladder leakage is a symptom of menopause – and they won’t discuss the issue with anyone

MANY women don’t realise bladder leakage is a symptom of the menopause and they won’t discuss the issue with anyone, a new study suggests.

Almost half of women who are peri-menopausal or menopausal wouldn’t want to talk about the problem, a new health poll shows.

Some 19 per cent think it’s embarrassing, according to the new survey of 2,000 women.

Almost six in 10, 57 per cent, also claimed to not know how to do a pelvic floor exercise – with 87 per cent feeling the act needs to be spoken about more.

Broadcaster Mariella Frostrup has partnered with Always Discreet as part of its “Squeeze the Day” campaign.

The aim is to make daily pelvic floor exercises during menopause a habit every woman forms to prevent bladder leakage.

She said: “Supporting women through the menopause is something I feel incredibly passionate about.

“For too long women going through this natural life stage have been made to feel ashamed and therefore reluctant to share their symptoms, a long list on which bladder leaks features highly.

“I believe it’s important to remove the stigma and normalise the side effects so women feel they are not alone.

“That’s why I’m championing the Squeeze the Day campaign– so that we can support women by breaking down taboos and empower them to make their pelvic floor exercises part of daily life.”

Almost two thirds of women surveyed, 61 per cent, said they didn’t feel prepared when it came to experiencing the signs and symptoms of the menopause.

Main reasons being because there is a general lack of education on the subject (24 per cent), 22 per cent said they didn’t recognise their symptoms were menopausal and 19 per cent didn’t feel ready to go through it physically and mentally.

Some 76 per cent said they’d be likely to exercise their pelvic floor more regularly if they had better advice and guidance on the subject.

Four in 10 said their bladder often leaks a little when they laugh, cough or sneeze.

A further 29 per cent said they unintentionally urinate when they run, jump or engage in exercise.

However, 17 per cent already do less of the activities they love because of their menopausal bladder leaks.

Of those who took part in the study by OnePoll.com, 71 per cent wish they’d done more to strengthen their pelvic floor when younger.

Emma Gerrard, from Always Discreet UK, said: “We are incredibly proud to be supporting the one in two women who may experience bladder leaks as a symptom of menopause.”

She added they were “not only raising awareness of the importance of squeezing the day every day, but also by showing how easy it is to incorporate pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine when you know how.”