Women “on the move”: Menopause in women’s biographical experience. Findings and recommendations from ethnographic research

Abstract

The issues discussed in this paper concern menopause as a significant experience in women’s lives. The authors present the findings from the first stage of an ethnographic study on menopause conducted in 2025, highlighting the key findings and recommendations emerging from the research. The study aimed to explore how women perceive and experience menopause, as well as to identify their needs, expectations, and reflections related both to the psycho-physical experience of menopause itself and to the broader contexts of their life activities during this stage of their biographies. The materials collected during the research indicate the need to introduce changes or undertake new initiatives in the fields of healthcare, social policy, education, the labour market, and other areas where women undergoing menopause continue to face stereotyping and marginalization.