Living through the menopause: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Saudi women’s experiences

Background: The physical and psychological changes associated with the menopause transition can have a significant impact on a woman's sexual health and well-being. Achieving quality of life during these periods requires recognising and addressing these changes. The number of women transitioning through menopause continues to grow globally, indicating a need to maintain their quality of life. The literature review revealed that no qualitative study explored women's experiences of menopause and intimacy changes in Saudi Arabia.
Aim: This thesis aims to undertake an in-depth exploration of Saudi women's experiences of sexual and relational changes during the menopause transition between the ages of 45-59 years.
Methods: A qualitative study using in-depth semi-structured interviews was conducted with 16 women in their menopausal transition between the ages 45-57 who had experienced natural menopause. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach was used to analyse the data.
Findings: Four Group Experiential themes were identified: journeying through menopause: the women’s perceptions and experiences, body image and its psychological effects, the intimate relationship while going through menopause, and managing the sexual changes during the menopause transition. From the perspective of Saudi women, the findings provide novel insight into the diversity and complexity of Saudi women's experiences of sexual and relational changes during the menopause transition and identify the biopsychosocial aspect as a main influence on their transition experience. The negative social stigma surrounding menopause and sexual discussions was highlighted. The findings explore how culture and religious beliefs influence women's menopause and sexual experiences, with culture having a greater influence than religion.
Conclusion: Findings from this thesis have several implications for practice and future research, which include providing comprehensive menopausal care in the Saudi healthcare systems and training healthcare providers to consider women's experiences of sexual difficulties from a biopsychosocial perspective. Raising Saudi women's awareness of menopausal and sexual issues, as well as mitigating society's stereotypes, is crucial for empowering them to seek help.