’A mix of challenges, surprises, and quiet strengths’: Australian women’s experiences of the menopause transition in the context of midlife

Introduction Menopause is often framed as a negative biomedical transition. This overlooks experiences that are shaped by social, cultural, and economic contexts.Method This online qualitative study used a social constructionist approach to examine how n = 362 Australian cisgender women, aged 45–64 years, made sense of menopause within the overlapping pressures of midlife. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results Four themes were constructed: (1) Menopause as a period of disruption and destabilisation; (2) Exhaustion and the demands of productivity; (3) Ease, acceptance, and positive midlife experiences; and (4) Freedom, resilience, and emergent strengths. Menopause was socially situated and interpreted in relation to expectations of productivity and competence across work, caregiving, and social roles. For some, menopause disrupted routines and signalled reduced capacity within contexts that prioritised productivity. For others, experiences were more manageable than expected and provided a time for reflection and renegotiation.Discussion Menopause is a socially and relationally mediated experience, where symptoms cannot be separated from the socio-cultural and institutional contexts through which women’s ageing is mediated and understood. The findings highlight the need to move beyond biomedical framings and recognise the overlapping influence of social and economic expectations on women in midlife.