Experiences and attitudes of New Zealand women to menopause

Abstract

The aims of the research were to discover women's attitudes to, and experiences of, menopause, including the emotional and physical experiences during peri-menopausal and immediate post-menopausal years. Recent medical literature has focused on the oestrogen deficiency status of post-menopausal women, psychological aspects, perceived high risks for certain medical conditions and treatment by medical interventions. Other literature promotes alternative therapies to empower women, while popular literature tends to portray menopausal women as being at the mercy of their hormones which affect their emotional stability and the ability to cope with the demands of their lives. Women are left with conflicting information which has led to confusion and a concern about what is normal and what is abnormal, what can be expected during this period of life and what can be disregarded. Attitudes to menopause were sought from thirty one New Zealand women, heterosexual and lesbian, aged 33 years to 65 years from rural and suburban areas. Ten of these women, who had had their menopause within the last fourteen years, were interviewed in depth about their physical and emotional experiences of it. A feminist methodology was used. Women were concerned about the negativity contained within the visual and verbal images they received. The images did not mirror their own perceptions nor what they had experienced. Finding balanced information was difficult for most, even though they knew there was more information now to that in the past. The women were generally aware that there was a range and variety of experiences associated with the climacteric. They questioned the need for long term medical treatment for an event they tended to regard as being common to all women and a natural consequence of achieving mid-life. Very positive attitudes towards women in old age were displayed. More research is needed on the long term effects of medical interventions.