What girls are learning about their bodies - and who’s teaching them
Teens are already scrolling and comparing. Often late at night, often alone.
Why women’s health myths matter, especially for young people 🧠
Teens are picking up ideas about their bodies long before anyone sits them down to explain what’s actually going on. From social media to the group chat and playground myths, information about periods, sex and hormones starts early and it is often wildly inaccurate.
For us adults, that creates a tricky gap. When misinformation fills the space, young people can carry confusion or shame around their health without even realising it. Over time, that shapes how much they trust their instincts, how comfortable they feel asking for help and whether they believe their bodies deserve care at all.
So today, we’re busting a few of the most common women’s health myths young people come across online and offline, and sharing what parents and educators can do to help challenge them.
Myth 1: “Period pain is just part of growing up”
Period pain is often brushed off as something to endure, by friends, by adults and sometimes even by medical professionals. But UK research shows that 97% of girls aged 12 to 18 experience period pain, with over two in five describing it as severe. Many say it affects school, concentration and mood (Wellbeing of Women).
Studies have also found a link between severe period pain in adolescence and an increased risk of chronic pain later in life. In other words, early symptoms can matter more than we think.
What we can do:
If a young person is regularly missing school, sport or social plans because of pain, treat it as a health conversation rather than a resilience test. Help them describe how it affects daily life and support them to ask for help instead of pushing through.
Myth 2: “Everyone’s body works the same way”
Many young people grow up thinking there is one version of normal. One way to develop, one way to feel, one way a body should behave.
In reality, bodies change at different speeds and respond differently to hormones, stress and growth. But comparison culture makes difference feel like failure.
What adults can do:
Remind young people that variation is expected. Encouraging them to notice patterns in their own body rather than measuring themselves against friends or social media can reduce anxiety and build body confidence.
Myth 3: “If it were serious, someone would have noticed”
A lot of young people assume that if something was really wrong, an adult or a doctor would automatically spot it. In reality, early symptoms are often quiet, inconsistent or easy to dismiss, especially when someone is still growing.
This belief can stop young people from speaking up, particularly if they already worry about being dramatic, overreacting or not being believed.
What adults can do:
Encourage young people to trust what their body is telling them. Help them practise explaining how something affects their day to day life, not just what the symptom is. Feeling heard can make a huge difference to whether they seek help again.
Myth 5: “Talking about bodies is awkward, it’s better not to”
When bodies are treated as embarrassing, silence quickly fills the gap. And when young people do have questions, the internet often becomes the first stop.
This is how misinformation spreads at speed.
What adults can do:
You do not need to have perfect answers. Simply letting young people know that questions are welcome, even the awkward ones, can reduce shame and open the door to safer conversations over time.
“Medical myths thrive in silence and in vague language. When teenagers aren’t taught the correct terms for their bodies, or how their anatomy actually works, it becomes much harder for them to ask questions or seek help. Even now, ‘vulva’ and ‘vagina’ are often used interchangeably, despite referring to different body parts clinically. Teaching young people accurate terminology and helping them get to know their own anatomy normalises these conversations, reduces embarrassment and empowers them to describe symptoms clearly. That knowledge builds confidence, supports self-advocacy and can make a real difference to how supported they feel when speaking to a doctor in the future.”
Dr Farah Ahmed - Women’s Health GP
Resources
For teachers & educators
👉 To support this week’s focus on women’s health, we’ve created a ready-to-use lesson resource exploring the gender health gap and why women’s voices matter in healthcare. The slides spotlight leading figures including Dr Nighat Arif and Professor Dame Lesley Regan, unpack key issues such as the underrepresentation of women in medical research and the Women’s Health Strategy for England, and prompt thoughtful classroom discussion around fairness, bias and advocacy in healthcare.
The Female Lead - Women’s Health - Lesson Plan
969KB ∙ PDF file
For parents & guardians
👉 You don’t need to be a medical expert to support young people with their health. What matters most is creating an environment where questions feel safe and symptoms are taken seriously.
A lot of young people are already getting information from social media, friends and the group chat. The goal isn’t to control that — it’s to balance it.
Here are a few gentle ways to open the door:
“Have you seen anything online about health lately that made you curious or confused?”
“If something felt off in your body, would you feel comfortable telling me?”
“Do you think people take your pain/discomfort seriously enough?”
“What do you think ‘normal’ means when it comes to bodies?”
“Is there anything about health that feels awkward to talk about?”
You don’t need to solve everything in one conversation. Even saying “If you ever want to talk about this, I’m here” can make a difference.
And if a young person repeatedly mentions pain, discomfort or feeling unwell, treat it as information, not exaggeration. Help them describe what they’re experiencing and, if needed, advocate for support alongside them.
Trust grows when young people feel believed.
Four titles to add to your ‘to read’ list
Our book recommendations for young women wanting to learn more about their health:
📚 You Grow Girl!: The Complete No Worries Guide to Puberty and Growing Up - Dr. Zoe Williams
📚 The Body Image Book for Girls: Love Yourself and Grow Up Fearless - Charlotte Markey
📚 We Need to Talk About Vaginas: An IMPORTANT Book About Vulvas, Periods, Puberty, and Sex!: - Dr. Allison K. Rodgers(Author), Neon Squid(Author), Annika Le Large(Illustrator)
📚 The Knowledge: Your Guide to Female Health – from Menstruation to the Menopause - Nighat Arif