He Said, She Said, Why is women's health still a hidden issue?

He Said, She Said, Why is women's health still a hidden issue?

Secret women's business shouldn't be secret anymore. Men can grow up and hear about periods; they are not gross, they are normal for 50 per cent of the population.

Women's health issues include endometriosis and painful breasts and light bladder leakage.

Endometriosis is a common disease in which the tissue that is similar to the lining of the womb grows outside it in other parts of the body. Ten per cent of Australian women have it

In an Australian government report, endometriosis is reported to cost Australian society $9.7 billion annually with two-thirds of these costs attributed to a loss in productivity. The remainder, approximately $2.5 billion, being direct healthcare costs.

Why is women's health still a hidden issue? Women need to stop suffering in silence and men need to listen up.

Including 2GB's Breakfast host, Ben Fordham, who squirmed in discomfort when I put it to him.

"I do know what it is and I know people who've got it and who've had it. But look, I think when it comes to health, you need to accept the fact that this is not something that we are naturally geared to discuss with everyone and to ask questions about these things," he said.

"And, and you know, that's why when you go into a doctor's office that there's an understanding straight away that anything you tell your GP that she's not going to go telling anyone else about it. So it's like, you know, there's a natural secrecy, a cloak of confidentiality that goes over the GP's room and anything to do with health."

I think secrecy is what creates shame. That's why women are embarrassed to talk about their health issues. I think we need to be talking about it and talking about it even more. It's how we all learn.

A new survey from a tampon company shows that one in four girls would rather be bullied at school than let people know that they have got their period.

Finally, Ben could see my way of thinking but was still a tad defensive.

"Should we talk about these things more? Yes. Should men understand more about women's health issues? Absolutely. Should women learn a bit more about men's health issues? Yes, but let's not pretend that the origin of this is based around a reluctance to know or to feel or to help. It's based around the fact that these are confidential issues and confidential matters," he says.

Confidentially speaking Ben, I think all women need to speak up to remove the stigma and men need to listen.

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@ShellyHorton1