More than a third of women are happy to discuss how many sexual partners they've had with a friend over their partner, new research shows.

According to a new study by women's intimate health brand Balance Activ, as part of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) Awareness Month, women are more likely to disclose the number to a pal than their other half, while 38 per cent will discuss how often they have sex with friends, and a quarter divulge on their more adventurous antics - three in 10 detailing where it happened.

It seems women don't tell their partners as much though, as 33 per cent of ladies would tell their friend if they had previously slept with their boss, while only 5 per cent would share that fact with their other half.

However, it seems very few women are willing to reveal intimate health matters in general, as less than one in five women tell their friends, and men are just as quiet, with only 6 per cent of doing so.

It's thought embarrassment and fear of rejection are the reasons that stop women from being honest, as one in 10 admitted to being worried about friends judging them if they open up.

Bacterial Vaginosis is a common condition in which the balance of bacteria within a vagina becomes 'disrupted'. Despite it not being unusual, it remains a poorly understood problem and GP Dr Dawn Harper, of TV show Embarrassing Bodies, is helping raise awareness and encouraging women to talk.

"We know women love to talk. But we were interested to see what they were willing to open up about and why intimate health is such a tricky topic for them," Dr Harper, a brand ambassador for Balance Activ, said.

"This hesitation to discuss intimate health means it's no surprise that almost half of women haven't heard of some very common conditions such as Bacterial Vaginosis. BV affects one in three women and can be caused by everyday things such as excessive washing, periods or even semen but it often goes untreated due to misdiagnosis.

"This can sometimes lead to serious implications including increasing the risk of an STI or pre-term birth and miscarriage - so being open about intimate health and getting the correct diagnosis is vital. We hope our campaign will show women there is no need to be embarrassed about intimate health and to start talking about it with their friends, partners and medical professionals."

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