A Narrative Inquiry Into the Menopause Experiences of Women With Spinal Cord Injury

Menopause presents distinct medical and social challenges for women with spinal cord injury (SCI), yet little is known about the lived experiences of this population, in part due to gender bias in SCI research and care. This narrative inquiry explores how disability, gender, and aging intersect to shape the menopausal experiences of women with SCI. This study involved two participants, Kim and Nadine, each of whom took part in four in-depth conversations exploring how they navigated, understood, and experienced menopause while living with SCI. Conversations were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed alongside field notes to develop narrative accounts. Two key narrative threads emerged: The Liminality of Menopause (highlighting ambiguity and uncertainty) and Questioning of Self (emphasizing self-doubt). Both women's stories revealed how silence, uncertainty, and discrimination shaped their understanding and experience of menopause. In clinical encounters, disability was frequently treated as the primary focus which eclipsed other important aspects of health and social experience. These findings highlight significant gaps in care and the need for healthcare providers to engage in proactive and validating conversations about menopause with women living with SCI.