Actress Katherine Heigl is no stranger to speaking up for what she believes in, having spoken candidly – and unapologetically – about issues in the TV and film industry that most would find difficult to express. 

A pioneering face of the nineties/noughties Rom-Com genre, the Grey’s Anatomy star has graced our screens for decades. 

But now, after having stepped away from the spotlight to focus on her family over the past few years, the 27 Dresses star has resurfaced with a very important mission: to debunk and destigmatise the all-too-common issue of bladder leakage in women. 

Launching this first-of-its-kind women’s health campaign alongside Poise, Heigl is lifting the lid on just how normal bladder leakage – AKA ‘giggle dribble’ – is, empowering women to ditch any semblance of shame or embarrassment they may feel in its wake. 

Heigl’s new commercial with Poise helps break down stigmas and normalise the very common women’s health condition, a message the actress has taken to her socials to share with her Australian fans. 

On a callout to fans on social media, the star once again opens up about her experience with pesky bladder leakage as a woman navigating her forties after experiencing pregnancy and childbirth.

“When Poise came to me and said that the prevalence of bladder leakage is even higher in Australia, with two in three women over the age of 25 experiencing what I like to call the old ‘giggle dribble’, I wanted to do a special call out to my fans down under,” the actress says.

“Those postpartum or perimenopause bladder leaks are so common but often not talked about, and so I thought this was an excellent opportunity to get outspoken once again.” 

“I don’t want a single woman out there to feel alone in her experience or to feel shame or embarrassment,” she continues. 

“I refuse to let a little giggle dribble stop me from enjoying everything it means to be a woman and a mother.”

Sadly, according to data collected by Poise, 97 per cent of women who have experienced bladder leakage say it affected them negatively, a statistic Heigl and Poise hope to change with their new campaign.

What causes bladder leakage in women?

Bladder leakage can be triggered by all kinds of everyday activities such as laughing, drinking, sneezing and coughing. Caused by a range of age and health-related factors, bladder leakage is often linked to major medical conditions. 

A symptom of pressure on the bladder and weakened pelvic floor muscles, bladder leakage is commonly experienced by women experiencing pregnancy and post-partum recovery, as well os women going through menopause. 

With a list of triggers so extensive, it’s no surprise that two in three Aussie women report experiencing bladder leakage, with mother-of-three Heigl proudly joining the ranks. 

Bringing her new commercial to Aussie screens this week, Heigl’s signature rom-com flair gives the task of managing bladder leakage a well-earned rebrand.  

Enjoying a coffee with a friend and her young son in the commercial, Heigl laughs off her friend’s sudden panic after experiencing the infamous giggle dribble, reassuring her that it “Happens to the best of us”.

“After kids, the pelvic floor can weaken, and then perimenopause reduces estrogen,” she explains to the young boy with the confidence that only someone who played a doctor for several seasons on television could.

And like clockwork, Heigl's Aussie fans have taken to social media to express their gratitude for her outspokenness and sense of humour, sharing that having such a high-profile celebrity publicly discuss her experience with bladder leakage helps them to feel less alone and embarrassed.

“I was thrilled to see a pretty and popular actress talking about this so openly on TV. I mean the bar is low right now, but hearing her say “Perimenopause” AND speak so openly about leaks and Peri in front of her male child in the commercial is a step in the right direction,” one grateful fan writes on Reddit. 

“Great to see this topic being spoken about more openly ” another shares on Instagram.

Heigl's Giggle Dribble campaign hopes to empower women to keep laughing loudly, live their life to the fullest, and to never apologise for giggle dribble. 

And of course, when needed, Poise’s range of liners and pads is there to support women day and night. 

Explore the range and take back your laugh here.