Division of Women's Health Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 13737 N. 92nd Street, Scottsdale 85260, AZ, USA.
Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, 13400 E. Shea Blvd, Scottsdale 85259, AZ, USA.
Maturitas. 2024 Jul;185:108007. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2024.108007. Epub 2024 Apr 24.
Sexual minority women (lesbian/gay, bisexual, and queer-identified cisgender women) as well as non-binary people have unique experiences in menopause but remain underrepresented in the scientific literature as compared with cisgender, heterosexual women. This review provides an overview of their experiences with menopause, including menstrual cessation, menopause symptoms, experiences with healthcare systems, and sexual health. The end of menstruation comes with mixed emotions for many sexual minority women, including sadness, grief, relief, and a sense of freedom. Sexual and gender minority individuals often experience discrimination and bias in healthcare encounters. So, too, do sexual minority women and non-binary people report negative experiences with the healthcare system while navigating menopause. In particular, this includes challenges locating inclusive menopause resources and culturally competent clinicians who create safe, trusting healthcare environments. In contrast to heterosexual women, sexual minority women have more open communication with partners regarding sexual function during menopause, and often have greater sexual satisfaction due to more expansive definitions of sex and pleasure. Non-binary individuals can experience distress, isolation, and gender dysphoria during the menopause transition, though research on their experiences remains extremely limited. To better care for sexual and gender minorities, more inclusive menopause education resources and healthcare environments are sorely needed, as are culturally competent healthcare clinicians. Increasing representation of sexual and gender minorities in the scientific literature on menopause is also crucial to improve understanding and clinical care.
性少数群体女性（女同性恋/男同性恋、双性恋和跨性别顺性别女性）以及非二元性别者在经历绝经期时有着独特的体验，但与顺性别、异性恋女性相比，她们在科学文献中的代表性仍然不足。这篇综述概述了她们在绝经期的经历，包括月经停止、绝经期症状、医疗保健系统的体验以及性健康。对许多性少数群体女性来说，月经的结束伴随着复杂的情绪，包括悲伤、悲痛、解脱和自由感。性和性别少数群体在医疗保健中经常遭遇歧视和偏见。性少数群体女性和非二元性别者在经历绝经期时也报告了对医疗保健系统的负面体验。特别是，这包括寻找包容的绝经期资源和有文化能力的临床医生的挑战，这些医生可以创造安全、信任的医疗环境。与异性恋女性相比，性少数群体女性在绝经期期间与伴侣就性功能进行更开放的沟通，并且由于对性和愉悦的更广泛定义，往往有更高的性满足感。非二元性别者在绝经期过渡期间可能会感到痛苦、孤立和性别焦虑，但关于他们的经历的研究仍然非常有限。为了更好地照顾性和性别少数群体，非常需要更具包容性的绝经期教育资源和医疗保健环境，以及有文化能力的医疗保健临床医生。增加性和性别少数群体在绝经期科学文献中的代表性对于提高理解和临床护理也至关重要。
