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SUMMARY :
Health risk factors occurring during the menopause period have fueled numerous debates between scientific experts, media and women's groups.

From a psychosocial point of view, breaking away from gynecological and psychiatric views, women's opinions have been analyzed in a 10 year longitudinal study, on a representative sample of a female population (n = 820) between 40 and 65 years of age. A typology built on these opinions point out that only a quarter of a general population of women emphasize negative aspects whereas others have positive, ambivalent or neutral attitudes. Negative attitudes as well as attitudes of the now deceased women population are linked with illness factors (physical or/and mental) as well as unfavorable social circumstances more often associated with aging. For all other women, menopause is a benign event or a normal process, in spite of recent medical campaigns.