Pelvic health education at work: How to reduce stigma

Why workplace pelvic health education matters

Most workplaces are not designed with women’s health in mind. Menstrual leave is rarely offered. Menopause is barely acknowledged. And pelvic health, despite being one of the most common and disruptive issues for women, is almost never discussed openly.

This silence carries consequences. One in three women will experience a pelvic floor disorder in her lifetime.¹ These conditions can cause bladder leaks, pelvic pain, prolapse, or bowel dysfunction. Symptoms do not just affect comfort, they ripple into work by undermining focus, limiting confidence in professional settings, and reducing productivity.

Yet stigma keeps many women silent. They may feel embarrassed to ask questions, raise concerns with HR, or even admit their struggles to themselves. The result is a hidden epidemic of untreated pelvic health problems across the workforce.

For employers and HR leaders, the cost is twofold. Employees suffer in silence, losing quality of life, while organizations see increased medical claims, absenteeism, presenteeism, and turnover. Pelvic health is both a human challenge and a business challenge. Workplace education is one of the most effective tools to break the silence and help women get the care they need.

The cost of silence around women’s health

The silence surrounding pelvic floor dysfunction has been a problem for decades. Women are often told that symptoms like leakage or pelvic pain are simply a normal part of life after childbirth or aging. These myths discourage women from seeking care to manage these symptoms and prevent future pain and discomfort.

At work, silence creates a bigger burden. Employees struggle privately, often taking more breaks, avoiding travel or presentations, or feeling distracted during meetings. Meanwhile, organizations carry the hidden costs of unmanaged conditions. Surgeries for pelvic disorders average nearly $30,000 per case.² Chronic pain and pelvic anxiety drive down productivity, and some women leave the workforce altogether when symptoms become too difficult to manage.

Silence also undermines organizational culture. A company that avoids women’s health cannot credibly claim to be committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. If women feel their challenges are invisible, they are less likely to feel loyalty to their employer.

Breaking the silence begins with education. Employers must equip managers and employees with the language, confidence, and resources to bring pelvic health out of the shadows. When women feel safe to talk, they are more likely to seek help. When organizations talk openly, they demonstrate that women’s health is a priority.

Create a culture where pelvic health can be openly discussed

Culture starts at the top. If leadership is silent, stigma persists. If leadership speaks openly, stigma diminishes. Executives, HR leaders, and people managers all have a role to play in shaping a culture that acknowledges and supports women’s health.

One effective step is to make pelvic health part of broader wellness communication. Just as companies now talk openly about mental health or ergonomics, they should also discuss pelvic health. When employees see pelvic health mentioned in newsletters, benefits guides, or webinars, they understand that the topic is safe to bring up.

• HR teams can host educational sessions that normalize pelvic health, inviting clinical experts to explain symptoms, treatment options, and available resources.
• Managers must also be empowered. Many want to support their teams but feel unprepared to address sensitive issues. Providing them with simple guidance, scripts, and training helps remove uncertainty. When managers know how to listen with empathy and connect employees to resources, they become allies rather than barriers.

Policies reinforce culture. Including pelvic health in official benefits materials, onboarding guides, and DEI strategies shows that it is not an afterthought. Written policies signal seriousness and reduce fear that employees might be penalized for speaking up.

A stigma-free culture takes time and consistent reinforcement. But the payoff is significant: women are more likely to engage with benefits, outcomes improve, and organizations demonstrate leadership in equity.

Language and scripts that reduce the stigma associated with pelvic floor dysfunction

Words matter. Euphemisms or dismissive language reinforce stigma, while supportive, clear language reduces it. HR and managers need scripts they can adapt to real conversations.

Examples include:

For managers in one-on-ones: “We know women’s health issues like pelvic pain or bladder leaks can affect your work. If this is something you are experiencing, we want you to know that support is available.”

For HR in benefits communication: “Pelvic health is an important part of overall wellbeing. Our benefits include access to Bloom, a private, at-home pelvic health program led by dedicated women's health specialists. You can access this benefit at $0 cost to you.”

For responding empathetically to disclosures: “Thank you for sharing that with me. It takes courage to talk about this and we want to support you. You are not alone, these are common symptoms, and we have resources to help.”

Scripts like these reduce fear and normalize pelvic health as a workplace topic, not a taboo. By using supportive language consistently, organizations create safe spaces where employees can ask for help without shame.

Train managers to help increase engagement with women's health benefits

Policies set expectations, but HR and managers make them real. They are often the first point of contact when employees have questions. If they are unprepared, stigma persists and employees retreat into silence.

Training should equip HR with knowledge about pelvic floor dysfunction, common symptoms, and the resources available. They must also be coached in handling disclosures with empathy, respect, and confidentiality. When employees feel safe, they are more likely to seek help.

Managers do not need medical expertise, but they do need practical skills. Role-playing exercises help them practice responding when an employee shares something personal. They learn to validate, maintain confidentiality, and connect employees to HR or available benefits.

By building confidence among managers and HR, organizations ensure that employees encounter allies who can guide them to resources and women's health benefits, rather than roadblocks.

Policies that support stigma-free pelvic health benefits

Policies make invisible issues visible. Without explicit mention, employees may assume pelvic health is not covered. Forward-thinking employers update benefits communications to include pelvic health directly. This might mean adding pelvic floor therapy in open enrollment guides, featuring it in onboarding, or highlighting it in DEI initiatives.

Policies should also emphasize privacy. Employees need to know they do not have to disclose personal details to access care. Stressing that programs like Bloom are confidential and can be accessed from home serves to reinforce trust.

Employers can also normalize pelvic health through wellness calendars. Just as organizations promote breast cancer screenings or mental health awareness, they can dedicate time to pelvic health education. This signals seriousness and treats pelvic health as part of standard wellbeing.

When policies are clear, visible, and reinforced, employees understand pelvic health is valued. That confidence encourages them to use the benefits available.

Turn policy into action with Bloom pelvic care plans

Bloom is Sword Health’s digital pelvic health solution, designed specifically for women managing the most common pelvic floor conditions, including:

• Bladder leakage or urgency
• Pelvic organ prolapse
• Pelvic or lower back pain
• Symptoms related to menopause or postpartum recovery

Employers and health plans can offer Bloom at the largest scale to help women stop pelvic pain and discomfort for good. Bloom overcomes traditional barriers to accessing care with its revolutionary digital model.

Members can access their personalized care plans from the privacy of home with the help of Sword’s smart technology. Each Bloom member receives:

• A personalized care plan guided by a pelvic health specialist that carries a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
• The Bloom Pod, an FDA-listed medical device that uses biofeedback to provide real-time tracking 
• The member’s matched pelvic health specialist adjusts the personalized program based on the feedback from past sessions and the member’s progress 
• Secure messaging support is available to help guide each member to complete their exercises at any time to suit their schedule

Bloom stands apart because it prioritizes personalization, flexibility, and clinical accountability, all within a discreet digital format that women trust³.

How Bloom makes pelvic health benefits approachable

Even with education, stigma can make employees hesitant to seek care. That is why the design of the benefit itself matters. Bloom by Sword Health was created to overcome the barriers that keep women from treatment.

At the center of the program is the Bloom Pod, an FDA-listed device that measures pelvic floor muscle activity and provides real-time feedback. Paired with the Bloom app, it guides women through short, personalized therapy sessions.

Each member is supported one-on-one by a licensed Pelvic Health Specialist with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. This combination of technology and expert guidance ensures members are never left on their own.

• Flexibility is a game-changer. Sessions are private, discreet, and short. Half of all sessions take place outside working hours, and one in five are completed on weekends.² This allows women to stay consistent without disrupting work or family commitments.
• Engagement is high, with completion rates above 75 percent, compared to less than 50 percent for in-clinic therapy.² 
• Satisfaction is equally strong, averaging 9 out of 10.² These outcomes prove that Bloom helps women feel safe, supported, and motivated to continue care.

For employers, Bloom means their investment is not wasted. Employees actually use it, which drives better outcomes and stronger ROI.

Build stronger engagement through workplace education

Education and Bloom are strongest together. The best program in the world will not drive outcomes if employees are too embarrassed to use it. That is why organizations must actively promote pelvic health benefits.

Effective strategies include:

• Featuring Bloom in benefits fairs, webinars, and open enrollment.
• Sharing simple, stigma-free educational content that explains common symptoms and treatments.
• Highlighting success stories, with consent, to inspire participation.
• Equipping HR and managers with FAQs to answer questions confidently.

When Bloom is framed as part of DEI and equity initiatives, employees see that it reflects organizational values. This boosts engagement and strengthens trust in leadership.

By pairing education with Bloom, employers ensure that employees do not suffer in silence. Instead, they see care as private, accessible, and proven.

The ROI of breaking pelvic health stigma

Education and stigma reduction drive measurable returns. When women seek care earlier, employers avoid costly interventions. Pelvic surgeries average nearly $30,000 per case.² Bloom helps prevent many of these by addressing issues upstream.

Productivity improves as well. Chronic pelvic pain can reduce job performance by over 60 percent.³ Bloom members report a 50 percent improvement in productivity after nine sessions.²

Retention is another critical win. Women at the peak of their careers are often the most affected by pelvic health issues. By supporting them with care, employers reduce turnover and strengthen leadership pipelines.

Breaking stigma creates ROI through lower claims, higher productivity, stronger retention, and a more inclusive culture.

Start offering Bloom to end pelvic pain for your members

Organizations that want to lead on pelvic health can follow a roadmap:

1. Assess communication gaps.
2. Train managers and HR teams.
3. Launch pelvic health education initiatives.
4. Implement Bloom as the anchor benefit.
5. Measure outcomes and share success.

Following these steps creates a workplace where women feel supported, stigma is dismantled, and benefits deliver measurable value. Workplace pelvic health education is more than a wellness initiative. It is a business strategy that supports equity, productivity, and retention. Employers that break the silence and provide access to solutions like Bloom will see returns in both culture and cost savings.

Bloom makes it easy. With proven outcomes, high satisfaction, and turnkey implementation, Bloom equips organizations to deliver meaningful change quickly.