Social representations and practices of menopause

Objective. To characterize the meanings attributed to menopause, as a first approximation to the representational world of this event. Material and Methods. A qualitative study was conducted between September and Octuber 1998, in twenty women aged 45-65 years, residents of Cuernavaca and Emiliano Zapata, municipalities of Morelos state, Mexico. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted using a guide, to collect data on sociodemographic variables, diagnosis, feelings and emotions, changes in life style, and physiological changes. Results. Findings show that menopause is represented as the end of fertility and the beginning of old age. Characterization of menopause is related to womanhood, body, and sexuality representations. Conclusions. This paper analyzes women's practices related to life experiences such as medical visits. Implications of these findings are discussed using the social construction of meanings framework. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.