Abstract

OBJECTIVE. To describe the meaning by a group of Chilean women about menstruation. METHODS. Secondary analysis of a descriptive qualitative study of in-depth interviews to explore the meaning of menstruation in fifteen Chilean women in a primary health care center.. Data were collected using the Krippendorf method. RESULTS. There are many reasons for women to believe that the cessation of menstruation is a positive event, and two dimensions are described. The first dimension is biological, in which pregnancy, contraception and sexual freedom are the principal topics described. The second dimension is associated with psychology, describing the end of reproductive age, which is related to overall aging for women. DISCUSSION. There are many meanings related to menstruation, as described in this study. Life without menstruation is one of the positive aspects of menopause, but it was also revealed to be an uncomfortable event in the life of women. Menstruation is part of women´s lives; therefore, it is necessary to establish it as a normal event, without negative cultural and social implications. Healthcare providers, particularly nurse-midwives, will play an important role in changing this social construct.