Introduccion: la perdida de la funcion folicular ovarica es un evento fisiologico del climaterio, que puede afectar la calidad de vida. Objetivo: evaluar la calidad de vida y la funcion sexual en mujeres en climaterio residentes en una poblacion del Caribe colombiano. Metodologia: estudio transversal realizado con las escalas Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) y el Indice de Funcion Sexual Femenino (FSFI-6) en mujeres mestizas, en alguna medida descendientes de indigenas Zenues, saludables, entre 40 y 59 anos de edad, naturales y residentes en el Caribe de Colombia. Resultados: 208 mujeres estudiadas. 100 (48%) premenopausicas y 108 (52%) posmenopausicas, con edad promedio de ultima regla: 44.8±4.5. Se obtuvo puntuacion total de MRS: 15.9±9.6 y los sintomas mas prevalentes fueron: trastorno del sueno (91.3%), cansancio fisico/mental (91.3%) y molestias musculo articulares (89.9%), con elevado deterioro del dominio urogenital. El 50% de las mujeres tuvo alteracion severa de la calidad de vida, con elevada prevalencia de manifestaciones, tanto en premenopausicas como en posmenopausicas. El 77% presento disfuncion sexual, con mayor prevalencia posmenopausicas. El dominio mas deteriorado fue dolor a la penetracion coital. Conclusion: en mujeres con rasgos fenotipicos mestizos y oriundas de poblaciones donde existieron asentamientos aborigenes, se observo menopausia mas temprana y deterioro anticipado de la dimension urogenital, similares a lo observado en poblaciones indigenas. Rev.cienc.biomed. 2014:5(1):55-65 PALABRAS CLAVE Climaterio; Menopausia; Calidad de vida; Disfuncion sexual. SUMMARY Introduction: The loss of the ovarian follicular function is a physiological event of the climacteric that could affect the quality of life. Objective: to evaluate the quality of life and sexual function in climacteric from a population of the Colombian Caribbean. Methodology: cross-sectional study carried out with the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-6) in healthy mestiza women, some of them, women descendant of Zenues indigenous, and with ages between 40 and 59 years who were natives and residents in the Colombian Caribbean. Results: 208 women were studied. 100 (48%) were in premenopause an 108 (52%) in postmenopause, with average age of last period: 44.8±4.5. The total score of the MRS was: 15.9±9.6, and the most prevalent symptoms were: sleep disturbance (91.3%), physical-mental fatigue (91.3%) and muscle-joint discomfort (89.9%), with high deterioration of the urogenital domain. 50% of women had severe deterioration of the quality of life, with high prevalence of symptomatology, as much in premenopausal as in postmenopausal women. 77% of the population presented sexual dysfunction with higher prevalence in postmenopausal women. The most impaired domain was pain coital penetration. Conclusions: in women with mestizo phenotypic traits and who were native from populations where settlements existed, it was observed early menopause and early deterioration of the urogenital domain, similar to the observed in indigenous populations. Rev.cienc.biomed. 2014:5(1):45-65 KEYWORDS Climacteric; Menopause; Quality of life; Sexual dysfunction.