African Women’s Understandings, Experiences and Beliefs of Menopause in Rural South Africa: A Qualitative Study

There is a paucity of research on menopause, menopausal women’s lived realities and beliefs in the Southern African context. It is necessary to explore the ways that menopause is conceptualised in differing contexts as the experience for many is individualised, confusing and erased. Menopause in this paper refers to the phase leading up to, and after a woman’s last menstrual period. Existing research suggests that menopause is not openly discussed among sub- Saharan women due to intense privacy and taboos regarding menstruation and reproduction. Existing findings show that many Southern African women are not aware of the physical mechanisms of menopause, its duration and symptoms.

Further, existing research in the African context shows division in the ways that menopause is conceptualised and experienced by African women. Some report a positive mindset relating to the freedom from the constraints of menstruation, a perception of cleanliness with the lack of menstrual bleeding, as well as economic benefit as sanitary products are no longer an expense. Menstruation is seen as consequence of the natural aging process (although some report that this is caused by a supernatural intervention). Negative descriptions of menopause relate to the fear that the loss of menstruation creates poison in the body as the women’s cleansing mechanism is no longer functional. This can be transmitted to sexual partners. Women describe a loss of sexuality and sexual attractiveness as a result. Some women report feeling invisible and irrelevant as part of the menopausal process.

Using an in-depth qualitative approach the research referred to here sets out explore the ways in which a small sample of South African women of average menopausal age, living in a rural area of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa represent their experiences of menopause and their needs in this context.