Thousands of women are turning to Dr Google to self-diagnose intimate health problems, new data reveals

Thanks to a growing women’s health movement and several high-profile celebrity-backed campaigns, public awareness around female-specific health issues – like endometriosis, menopause and pelvic floor disorders – is on the rise.

But new data reveals there is still a long way to go in educating women about their bodies, what is and isn’t normal, and when to see a doctor.

Data analysts at Kegel8 have looked into how many women are turning to Dr Google for answers about common intimate health issues and to self-diagnose their symptoms.

Comparing the number of Google searches in the past year to those in 2018, analysts found that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of women searching for symptoms related to bladder weakness, endometriosis, and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – among others.

Most notably, the condition with the highest increase in searches is bladder weakness or incontinence (up 540 percent). That’s surprising, seeing as roughly 40 percent of women in the UK are affected by incontinence at some point in their lives.

There are several types of bladder incontinence that can be caused by a range of factors including the weakening of pelvic floor muscles, overactivity of the muscles which control your bladder, pregnancy and vaginal birth.

One study found that one in six women cannot identify their pelvic floor muscles, while 35 percent don’t understand their purpose. Strengthening pelvic floor muscles with daily exercises can have a number of positive health benefits, including helping with incontinence.

Despite its prevalence, many women find it embarrassing to discuss their concerns with their doctor. One study found that 29 percent of women experienced leaks for over a year before they could admit to themselves that there was an issue. Additionally, seven in ten women admitted they have not brought up their concerns with their GP, with many believing it not serious enough to discuss.

The second highest search increase came from women looking for information on vaginismus and its symptoms, with a 336 percent increase noted – up from 110 average monthly searches in 2018 to 480 in 2021.

Vaginismus is a condition that causes the muscles in the vagina to automatically tighten up whenever penetration is attempted. It’s thought to affect 2 in 1000 women. While more rare than other conditions, Netflix’s Sex Education recently shone a light on the lack of education and awareness surrounding it, which can lead to increased pain and psychological trauma.

In third place is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, commonly known as PCOS. The condition and its symptoms were Googled over 44,000 times a month on average in 2021 – an increase of 283 percent compared to 2018.

Sufferers of PCOS may experience several symptoms including irregular periods, weight gain, excessive hair growth and trouble getting pregnant. While it affects about 1 in every 10 women in the UK, it’s not widely talked about outside of medical circles.

Making up the top five most searched conditions were vaginitis (an inflammation of the vagina) and endometriosis (affects the lining of the womb), with a 233 and 173 percent increase recorded, respectively.

A recent petition, signed by over 100,000 people, has demanded an increase in funding for endometriosis and PCOS research and support. The petition claims that while these conditions affect 10 percent of women worldwide, they are still severely underfunded.

Both the petition and search volumes for female intimate health issues highlight that many women are concerned and are turning to Dr Google to self-diagnose their symptoms.

It’s clear greater education is needed, from an early age, and open conversation encouraged to make women feel empowered to discuss any health concerns with a loved one, GP or other health professional.

Stephanie Taylor, Intimate Health Expert and Founder of Kegel8 commented on the findings:

“It’s encouraging to see female health issues and the need for better education being debated in the mainstream, including recently in parliament. But this data shows we still have a long way to go to overcome the stigma and knowledge gap when it comes to women’s intimate health.

“We must continue to ask ourselves why there has been such a dramatic increase in these figures and what else can be done to make sure women feel confident and empowered to take control of their intimate health and no longer suffer in silence.”