Saudi Women's Experiences of Sexual and Relational Changes During the Menopause Transition.

The study included 16 women in Riyadh, so the themes cannot represent all Saudi women. Most participants were recruited through women's schools, which may favour working women over non-working women. Male partners were not included, so the study cannot show their perspective. Transcripts were not returned to participants, and member checking was done by the research team rather than by women themselves. The first author conducted interviews and analysis as part of PhD work, with shared cultural background and nursing training; this may shape rapport and interpretation. Thirteen potential participants did not progress, some because of recording concerns, so willingness to discuss sensitive topics may be limited. IPA sought depth rather than data saturation, so the findings are interpretive rather than a frequency estimate.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The funder was the University of Sheffield, and the study formed part of the first author's PhD research.

Do not read these themes as evidence that menopause causes sexual problems in all Saudi women or that any treatment works. The study describes 16 women's accounts in Riyadh and does not test interventions.