Menopause, sexuality and culture: is there a universal experience?

Menopause is a universal phenomenon, but do all women experience a universal event? The aim of this article is to identify common trends or patterns occurring exclusively within certain different cultures, and whether these have an effect on how menopause is experienced or perceived by those women. This paper will first consider the physiological changes that occur during menopause and will then look at psychosocial influences that may affect women's perception and experience of menopause.