Menopause in Aotearoa: New Research and Indigenous Perspectives webinar

News

14th October 2026NEWS

To celebrate World Menopause Day, this special 90-minute webinar will launch Sexual Wellbeing’s report on menopause knowledge and experiences accessing care, highlight Dr Chelsea Harris’ research into indigenous experiences of menopause, and feature an extended Q&A session with Dr. Beth Messenger joining.

Sexual Wellbeing research report

The Menopause in Aotearoa New Zealand: Knowledge and Experiences Accessing Care report will be launched at the webinar by its author, Ragnar Anderson, Senior Policy and Research Advisor at Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa.

We know there has been a significant increase in people’s awareness of menopause, and as a result, there has been a surge in people seeking care to address their symptoms. But how does this translate to healthcare settings? We were curious to hear about peoples’ experiences – what they knew before they started experiencing perimenopause symptoms, where they went for information and care, and what were their experiences with their healthcare provider, including barriers they faced and eventual outcomes.”

Ragnar Anderson, Senior Policy and Research Advisor

Key findings from the report

The majority of respondents reported that they had high, moderate, or basic knowledge of menopause before experiencing symptoms
Many people aren’t aware of the all the symptoms that can arise due to menopause
There’s a lack of knowledge about menopause treatment options
Many people go to their GPs for menopause care – with mixed experiences
There’s a need for training and guidance for healthcare providers on menopause treatment
The majority of those that receive menopause treatment feel it improved their quality of life

These findings and others will be discussed in more detail at the webinar and in the report which will be published on this website afterwards.

Indigenous experiences of menopause

Dr Chelsea Harris from University of Otago will present on Indigenous experiences and perspectives of menopause.

She will discuss:

The experiences and perspectives of wāhine Māori in Waipounamu (the South Island) have of menopause
The experiences that wāhine Māori have when accessing health care services for reasons related to menopause

Extended Q&A

After the presentations, Dr Beth Messenger, Sexual Wellbeing’s Medical Director will join Dr Chelsea Harris for a question and answer session with attendees.