Halloween may be all about things that go bump in the night. But some of the scariest stories keeping us up at night aren’t about ghosts or monsters; they’re about how little most of us were taught about our own bodies.
We surveyed more than 3,000 women for our 2026 State of the Vagina Report, and the results were straight up eerie. Throw in some recent clinical research, and we’ve come up with a list that should make your skin crawl.
The good news is: Knowing these facts should be empowering. So grab your candy corn and let’s get into these spooky women’s health facts.
1. Nearly half of women don’t know about their vagina’s microbiome
Your vagina is home to an entire ecosystem of bacteria, starring the protective Lactobacillus species. Yet 46 percent of women in our survey had no idea that the vaginal microbiome even existed, and 74 percent don’t know what a healthy vaginal pH range is.1
(For the record, a healthy pH range is when things are “mildly acidic” down there. When it rises above 4.5, it gets easier for odor-causing bacteria to take over. Spooky, right?)2
2. More than half of women are washing inside their vagina with soap
Sixty percent of women told us they aren't sure what a healthy vagina should smell like.¹ That uncertainty is driving some risky (dare we say, scary) habits:
- 59% use soap inside the vagina
- 27% use washes that weren't designed for intimate areas
- 24% douche¹
When we’ve interviewed an OB/GYN in the past, she described the vagina as a “self-cleaning oven.” (And, aside from soap, she listed several other things you should definitely not put inside your vagina.) The reason soap is a no no is that douching can upset the balance of vaginal bacteria and can increase the risk for bacterial vaginosis (BV).3
3. The orgasm gap is real — and it’s pretty big
In a study of more than 52,000 U.S. adults, 95% of heterosexual men said they usually or always orgasm during sex. Only 65% of heterosexual women said the same.4
In fact, in the study, out of all couples, women with male partners were the least likely to orgasm consistently.4 This, friends, is the orgasm gap.
Even more spooky, when we asked participants in our survey, we found that 40% of women have faked an orgasm, and 84% say the sex education they received wasn't helpful to their sex life.¹ There’s a reason so many women aren’t able to orgasm; women’s pleasure has been shamed and made “wrong” for centuries, and our sex education is woefully lacking.
4. BV is common, and it often comes back
Bacterial Vaginosis in itself isn’t “spooky,” but our lack of education about our own bodies— which often leads to BV— certainly is. BV is usually caused by an imbalance in the vagina’s microbiome. That thing most women don’t know they have, remember?
Things like douching, using soap, recent antibiotic use, or even new sexual partners can cause BV.5 Ironically, since it can be caused by antibiotics, it is actually very simply treated with antibiotics as well. You just have to know what to look out for, and see your doctor when symptoms like these come up.
- Off-white or gray colored vaginal discharge.
- Fishy-smelling vaginal discharge
- Vaginal itching or irritation
- A burning feeling when you pee 5
5. One in three women would keep vaginal health concerns to themselves
After centuries of stigma around sex and shame for simply being a woman with a body, it is no wonder so many women in our survey said they would not tell anyone— including their doctor— about vaginal health concerns. According to our survey, nearly half of women have experienced a vaginal health issue, but one in three said they wouldn’t seek help.1
In fact, 22 percent of women said they can’t say the word “vagina” out loud. And how are you supposed to tell your doctor your vagina is acting off, if you can’t say the word?1
6. Most women skip their annual OB/GYN appointment
Sixty-eight percent of the women we polled said they skip their yearly OB/GYN appointment entirely. The same number say that they don’t completely trust their OB/GYN, often because they have felt rushed or unheard in the past.1
We get that an exam can feel spooky. Example: That metal speculum inserted into the vagina for exams is straight out of a horror film. But your annual visit is actually one of your best tools for catching any concerns early. Building a relationship with a provider that you trust may take some shopping around, and time, but having that person in your corner is so worth it.
7. Almost no one knows the phases of their menstrual cycle
Teaching girls about the four phases of their menstrual cycle— menstruation, follicular, ovulation, and luteal— should be Sex Ed. 101. But our survey shows that 96% of women don't know the phases of the menstrual cycle, and 43% didn't know what a period was before getting their first one.¹
That is truly a horror movie script. (If you haven’t seen Carrie, go watch it now. In fact, go watch the new Amazon Prime show. It’s fantastic.)
For those who need a refresher, here is a complete guide to the phases of your menstrual cycle. Grab a calendar and map it out. Knowing where you are in your cycle is so empowering. (If only Carrie knew…)
8. Most women go into menopause without a map
Three in four women have never received any education about menopause, and 80% feel unprepared for it.¹ Eighty-six percent feel alienated during this stage, and 74% say it has negatively affected their careers.¹
Luckily, it seems the conversation around things like vaginal health, the menstrual cycle, and menopause seems to slowly be changing, especially with younger generations. Hopefully that means that in 10 years if we were to poll a whole new set of women, we’d get some less spooky answers.
And hopefully we’ll all be less afraid of the word “VAGINA” by then.
Happy Halloween!
