Women get serious about their health at this age

The average woman currently has eight unanswered questions about her health.

That was revealed in a new survey of 2,000 women who experience pelvic floor issues — and results revealed younger women have even more questions.

Gen Z respondents have an average of 11 unanswered health questions, compared to just five for baby boomers surveyed.

Perhaps this is because respondents pinpointed age 40 as the point they’re most motivated to get answers to their health-related inquiries.

Before that, some women are left coming up with their own theories of what’s going on — things they believe might be wrong in their body, but that aren’t proven.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Intimina, the survey found younger women were also more likely to be coming up with these “theories.” Gen Z women surveyed had an average of five theories about their health — compared to baby boomers’ two.

These theories may be a result of women needing multiple doctor’s appointments to get answers about their health concerns. On average, it took women three appointments to get the right information about their pelvic floor issues.

And before they had the answers, 71% of women surveyed said there was a period of time they knew something wasn’t right, but couldn’t identify what it was.

“It’s concerning that so many women are left in limbo when it comes to understanding and addressing their pelvic floor health,” said Dunja Kokotovic, Intimina Global Brand Manager. “When women don’t receive the proper diagnosis right away, they can’t get the care they need, which often leads to a decline in their physical and emotional well-being. We are dedicated to educating women about the symptoms and signs of pelvic floor issues, empowering them to seek answers and treatment earlier.”

The survey examined how pelvic floor issues have affected women’s daily lives — and revealed they’ve had a vast impact.

Women said pelvic floor issues have not only affected their physical health and fitness routines (31%) but also their emotional health (42%) and their mental health (39%).

That’s in addition to their romantic relationships (36%) and their social life (28%).

Four in 10 women (39%) have taken time off work due to pain or discomfort caused by pelvic floor issues — and 47% said their pelvic health concerns prevent them from reaching specific milestones.

These issues take a toll financially, too: the average woman surveyed spends $334.50 per month to maintain or improve their pelvic floor health.

This includes physical therapy and exercise regimens ($79.70), medication ($74.70), doctor’s visits ($90.80) and following a specific diet ($89.30).

And there’s also a toll on women’s self-confidence — 35% said their pelvic floor issues have made them much more self-conscious about their body.

“Forty-two percent of women surveyed admitted they didn’t immediately pay attention to the early signs of pelvic floor issues,” said Kokotovic. “We want to help change that. By encouraging a proactive approach to pelvic health, we aim to give women the knowledge they need to recognize these signs, take control of their health journey and feel confident in advocating for their well-being with their doctors.”

WHAT AREAS OF WOMEN’S LIVES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY PELVIC FLOOR ISSUES?
● Emotional health — 42%
● Mental health — 39%
● Romantic relationship — 36%
● Physical health/fitness routine — 31%
● Social life — 28%

Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American women who have pelvic floor issues; the survey was commissioned by Intimina and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Feb. 7 and Feb. 13, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
● Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
● Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
● Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
● Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
● Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
● Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.