Natural menopausal age: Correlation with body mass index and various reproductive factors in postmenopausal women

Abstract

Background: Natural menopause can be defined as cessation of menstruation in which women have experienced 12 consecutive months of amenorrhea that results from loss of ovarian follicular activity. Usually, women attain menopause between the ages of 48 and 52 years (years). Age at menopause may be altered by various reproductive factors and body mass index (BMI). Aims and Objectives: The present study was designed to find an association of age at menopause with certain reproductive factors and BMI. Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in the tertiary care hospital for a period of 4 months (September 2017-December 2017) after the approval of Institutional Ethical committee. Results: A total of 230 postmenopausal women were included in this study. The mean age at menopause was found to be 49 years. The mean and standard deviation values of various factors along with correlation value were assessed. Statistically, significant correlation was found between age at menopause and other factors such as BMI, age at first and last delivery. No significant differences in the age at menopause were found between regularity of periods and nature of delivery. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that every woman should maintain their BMI within the normal range, adopt healthy lifestyle, and moreover, woman need to plan for pregnancy at her right age will be helpful in avoiding either early or late menopause.