Little House on the Prairie tackled some issues that were not dealt with on television shows during that era. And this includes the issue surrounding menopause, which was actually a topic on more than one episode throughout the show’s 9 year run.
When Caroline Ingalls is pregnant with Grace, during the season four episode A Most Precious Gift, she believes she is actually undergoing menopause, so the pregnancy was a surprise.
Later in the series, in I Do Again, Laura announces her pregnancy and Caroline believes she is pregnant as well, setting it up for both mother and daughter to be expecting babies at the same time – something that wasn’t that uncommon during that time period. However, when Caroline visits Doc Baker, he actually confirms she is not pregnant but is instead starting menopause. This sets off Caroline’s depression, as she realizes she will never be able to give her husband Charles a son.
