Anticipations and experiences of menopause in a Danish female general population cohort born in 1936

Summary

Introduction: Few studies on menopause consider the impact of sociopsychological factors on women's experiences of menopause.

Objective: To focus on women's experiences of menopause: complaints, health, attitudes and stereotypes of menopause and ageing.

Design: Prospective population study, initiated in 1976 with follow-ups in 1981, 1987 and 1996 with a high participation rate, a representative sample of all women born in 1936 and living in the County of Copenhagen.

Study methods: Questionnaires and personal interviews: sociodemographic data, menopause, general health, sexuality, ageing.

Results: The strongest predictors of the way in which women experienced menopause, including sexuality, were their general health earlier in life, their social circumstances and their expectations of menopausal changes. The biological changes had significant correlation to hot flushes. Menopause was seen as a symbol of ageing. Only a minority suffered from serious problems, typically originating earlier in life.