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The earlier the first menstruation the more often a premature menopause
The so-called menopause refers to the end of the physically fertile period in women. Researchers now found that women enter menopause sooner if they had their first menstruation before their 12th birthday.
The scientists from the University of Queensland in Australia found in an investigation that an earlier onset of menstruation can also lead to a premature menopause. When women's menstruation began before their 12th birthday, these women often had a premature menopause. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Human Reproduction".
Menopause can cause some health effects in women, such as hot flushes and hair loss. But what actually leads to a premature menopause in women? (Picture: Picture-Factory / fotolia.com) Physicians are studying about 50,000 women for their study
In Australia, one of the largest studies of its kind was completed. The study involved approximately 50,000 postmenopausal women in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan and Scandinavia.
Most women have their first period around the age of 13
For most women, the first period began around the age of 13. The last period was then at these women often at the age of about 50 years, explain the experts. 14 percent of the participants had their first period before they were twelve years old. In addition, there were still about 10 percent, with the last period occurred at the age of 45 years ago.
Women with a first period at the age of 12 years are more likely to have a premature menopause
The physicians in their study tried to find out if there is a link between early menstruation and early menopause. It was found that if women had their first menstruation at the age of twelve years, with them to 31 percent more common premature menopause occurs, the scientists say. This then already occurs between the ages of 40 and 44 years.
Effects of early menstruation
When the participants had their first period at the age of 13, only 1.8 percent had premature menopause (before the age of 40) and at 7.2 percent the menopause was premature. However, if the women had their first period when they were only 11 or younger, 3.1 percent had premature menopause and 8.8 percent had premature menopause, the study's authors say.
Stress at a young age could be involved in premature menopause
Certain factors in the early life of women may affect premature menopause, explains author Gita Mishra of the University of Queensland. For example, we know that stress during childhood can lead to earlier menstruation. Perhaps this stress also affects the age at which the menopause occurs, the expert adds.
Childlessness can affect the menopause
If women were childless, this was also related to earlier menopause. In women who had no children and whose first period occurred before the age of 12 years, premature menopause was five times more likely, compared to women with two or more children and a first menstruation at the age of twelve or later, explain the physicians.
Fertility decreases earlier in women with early menopause?
Often, these women also had difficulty getting pregnant, says Mishra. This suggests that there was a link between early menstruation, infertility and premature menopause. If menopausal women start in their thirties, their fertility could fall as early as in their twenties.
Smoking increases the risk of premature menopause
Women should be aware that menstruation at young age can lead to premature menopause. If women take this into account, they can change their life plan and, for example, try to have children earlier, the researchers report. In addition, women should quit smoking because it further increases the risk of premature menopause, Mishra explains.
Women need to be better prepared for menopause and its effects
Women also need to be prepared for menopausal chronic diseases. Menopause is a marker of biological age for women and has a variety of health implications that women can take care of themselves, the researchers emphasize. For example, they can look for a healthier diet or improve their physical activity. (As)