MyMenopause South Africa – Feel Informed. Feel Supported. Feel Empowered

You are not imagining it, and you are not alone

If this is the first time you are reading about perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause) and menopause in a way that is based on research, you are in good company. Many women only find out what is happening in their bodies long after their symptoms begin.

There are reasons for this. For a long time, women’s health has not had the research attention it deserves – and although South African women can spend a large part of their lives in perimenopause and menopause – many doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals have had little training in how to support women through this stage.

Things are changing

Over the past two decades, research on perimenopause and menopause has grown a great deal.

We now understand far more about symptoms, long term health and what helps. Research on South African women is still limited, but it is growing too.

The trouble is that this knowledge rarely reaches the women who need it. That is where we come in.

Explore MyMenopauseSA

Understanding perimenopause and menopause

What happens, when, and why

Symptoms

From hot flushes and poor sleep to mood changes, and what to look out for

Hormones and your body

How changing hormones affect you, explained simply

Treatment options

Hormone therapy, non-hormonal options, and alternate therapies explained honestly

Lifestyle and diet

Practical ways to manage symptoms and reduce long term health risks

Your long-term health

Bone, heart and brain health after menopause

Menopause and HIV

What we know for women living with HIV

Types of menopause

Different ways menopause can happen

Why knowing matters

When you understand what is happening in your body, including the symptoms you may experience and the possible long-term health risks, you are better placed to look after yourself.

When you know your treatment and lifestyle options, you can make informed choices and ask for the care you need.

Every woman deserves consistent, timely care. Menopause that is well managed supports better health later in life, and good information is where that begins.

Research you can trust, written for real life

Everything on MyMenopauseSA is based on scientific research, including studies on South African women and women in similar settings. We have spent many months reading hundreds of academic publications, and we keep reading so that we can bring you the latest evidence. Every page is carefully researched and checked, not mass-produced.

Our aim is to turn complex research into plain language we can all make sense of. That is not always easy, so if something is unclear, let us know and we will do better.

Founded by a South African public health expert

MyMenopauseSA was founded by Dr Riona Govender, a Nelson Mandela Scholar and Commonwealth Scholar with two decades of experience in public health, including more than ten years leading key national HIV-TB related and digital health processes at the National Department of Health. When she entered perimenopause herself, she struggled to find credible answers, and set out to change that for other women.

Read our story

For everyone who experiences menopause

We use the word “women” across this site, in line with the research we draw on. We recognise that non-binary people assigned female at birth, some transgender men and gender-diverse people also experience menopause, and often have even fewer places to turn for support. MyMenopauseSA is for you too.

Growing with you

We are working towards:

Content in isiZulu, Sesotho and Afrikaans
Resources for women who are blind or partially sighted, and women who are Deaf or hard of hearing
Video presentations and a community forum where women can share their experiences

We want to get these right rather than rush them, so they will take time.

Every woman will go through menopause.

Every woman deserves to understand it.