SORA

Advancing, promoting and sharing knowledge of health through excellence in teaching, clinical practice and research into the prevention and treatment of illness

Natural menopause among women below 50 years in India: A population-based study

Pallikadavath, S; Ogollah, R; Singh, A; Dean, T; Dewey, A; Stones, W (2016) Natural menopause among women below 50 years in India: A population-based study. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 144 (3). pp. 366-377. ISSN 0971-5916 https://doi.org/10.4103/0971-5916.198676
SGUL Authors: Stones, Robert William

[img]
Preview
PDF Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike.

Download (466kB) | Preview

Abstract

Background & objectives: The age at which menopause naturally occurs may reflect nutritional and environmental circumstances as well as genetic factors. In this study we examined natural menopause as a marker of women’s health at the population level in India and in some major States. Methods: Data from the Indian District Level Household Survey (DLHS) carried out during 2007-2008 covering 643,944 ever-married women aged 15-49 yr were used; women of older ages were not included in this survey. Since not all women in this age group had achieved natural menopause at the time of survey, Cox proportional hazard regression models were employed to obtain the median age of women reporting a natural menopause, excluding those who underwent hysterectomy. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated for key socio-economic and reproductive variables that could potentially affect the age at natural menopause <40 yr. Results: Overall, menopause prior to age 40 was reported by approximately 1.5 per cent of women. In the national data set, significant associations with age at natural menopause were identified with marriage breakdown or widowhood, poverty, Muslim religious affiliation, ‘scheduled caste’ status, not having received schooling, rural residence, having never used contraceptive pills, not been sterilized or had an abortion, low parity and residence in the western region. Within data from five selected States examined separately, the strength of these associations varied. Interpretation & conclusions: Associations of natural menopause with sociocultural, family planning and demographic variables were noted. Most importantly, there was an association with poverty that would require further investigation as to causality. The proportion of women experiencing early menopause may represent a useful overall indicator of women’s health. The data are reassuring with regard to possible late effects of sterilization on ovarian function.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
Keywords: Microbiology, 11 Medical And Health Sciences
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: Academic Structure > Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute (MCS)
Journal or Publication Title: Indian Journal of Medical Research
ISSN: 0971-5916
Dates:
DateEvent
30 September 2015Accepted
September 2016Published
20 January 2017Published Online
Publisher License: Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0
Projects:
Project IDFunderFunder ID
172600309British Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000308
URI: https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/108620
Publisher's version: https://doi.org/10.4103/0971-5916.198676

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item