Like puberty or pregnancy, menopause is a transition period and is a normal and powerful stage of life. Everyone’s menopause experience is unique, and menopause can be seen differently by different cultures.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the years leading up to menopause, when hormonal changes can impact women’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing – from symptoms like brain fog, hot flushes, mood changes, and fatigue.
These changes can start in someone’s late 30s/early 40s and last two to 10 years or five years on average.
Often the term menopause is used to refer to both perimenopause and menopause.
What is menopause?
Menopause, in biological terms, literally means ‘the stopping of monthly periods’ when the ovaries stop producing eggs. For most people, menopause is marked by twelve months in a row without a period.
Every woman who lives beyond midlife will go through menopause, as it usually occurs between ages 45 and 55 (the average age of menopause in New Zealand women is 51 years).
Some go through menopause sooner – occurring before the age of 40 is known as premature ovarian insufficiency, and between 40 and 45 is known as early menopause.
While most women will go through menopause naturally, menopause can also occur from undergoing medical treatments or surgeries to the reproductive system, such as for cancer treatment. These forms are surgical menopause and induced menopause.
A New Zealand survey found that 89% of women aged 40-60 have experienced new or worsening symptoms associated with menopause.
The word for menopause in te reo Māori is Ruahinetanga. Ruahine carries many meanings - a woman of importance, a woman of wisdom, and the natural process of ageing. Ruahinetanga is a significant transition where wāhine step into deeper wisdom and leadership. It is a time to reframe, redefine, and take up new roles and responsibilities. It is also a time to pass on knowledge and experience to the next generation. Connection and community are at the heart of this journey. Wāhine need to be supported in the workplace so they can manage the challenges of menopause while stepping fully into their roles as leaders within whānau and community.
- Priscilla Te Hau, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Hori, Ngai Tamanuhiri
How do women’s experiences or views of perimenopause and menopause differ?
Although there is still more to learn, we know that everyone’s experience of menopause is different.
People and cultures understand menopause in different ways. For some, it’s not widely discussed, while others recognise it as a natural and meaningful stage of life.
For wāhine Māori, menopause (or ruahinetanga) may be seen as a time of transition into deeper wisdom and leadership, where women can take up new roles and responsibilities in their whānau and community.
Some wāhine Māori, Pacific women, and women from ethnic communities find it hard to talk about menopause and may be hesitant to ask for help because of stigma around women’s health. These groups, along with disabled women, can also face barriers to accessing health services.
Some disabled women might go through menopause earlier. Symptoms of menopause can sometimes be attributed to a person’s disability and some symptoms can be more challenging for people with disabilities, potentially requiring additional support to maintain their wellbeing.
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