One in four women afraid to tell boss real reason they are calling in sick

The research of 2,000 women found 41 per cent of these would be embarrassed and 27 per cent would feel judged by their manager if they admitted the truth.

And 58 per cent said they haven’t given the real reason for being off work in the past – citing a headache (20 per cent) or stomach bug (29 per cent) instead.

Vaginal infections, pelvic floor disorders and sexual health are among the common issues women would not be willing to reveal.

However, 32 per cent would be willing to openly discuss breast cancer, and 30 per cent would feel confident discussing pregnancy-related issues.

Pallavi Bradshaw, deputy chief medical officer at AXA Health, which commissioned the research, said: "As an employee, it can be difficult to talk about your personal health at work, particularly if it’s a conversation around women’s health.

“But calling into work unwell as a result of a women’s health issue, whether that be morning sickness, period pain or menopause symptoms, should be viewed the same way it is for a migraine or sickness bug.”

‘There is still more to be done in supporting women at work’

The research went on to find 49 per cent have felt as though they should have taken time off for an issue related to women’s health but didn’t.

Half of these didn’t want to be seen as unreliable, and 27 per cent were worried they’d fall behind with their work.

For exactly a fifth there is a culture to ‘push on’ in their workplace, and 16 per cent of these feared it may even affect their career progression.

Over four in 10 (42 per cent) believe more supportive leadership would help people feel more comfortable discussing women’s issues.

But 19 per cent report their current place of work is not supportive of health-related female problems, according to the OnePoll.com figures.

Despite this, 65 per cent agreed that in the last 10 years changes to workplace culture have made it easier to open up about female-related health issues.

Pallavi Bradshaw, from AXA Health, added: “Businesses are making great progress in supporting women at work, but these results show there is still more to be done.

“It’s important for employers to have awareness of the range and severity of challenges women can face, and how it may impact them at work.

“Ensuring businesses are creating supportive environments where women feel they can be honest and seek the help they need is vital.

“Having women in the workplace is a win-win for women and businesses, so it’s essential we create workplaces that are inclusive as well as productive.”