Association of Reproductive History With Motor Function and Disability in Aging Women

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The associations of reproductive history and motor function are controversial. DESIGN Prospective cohort study with 10 years of follow‐up. SETTING Three French cities between 1999 and 2011. PARTICIPANTS A total of 3043 community‐dwelling women from the Three‐City Dijon study population. MEASUREMENTS We examined the cross‐sectional and longitudinal association of age at menopause, artificial menopause, and parity with walking speed (WS) using linear regression and linear mixed models, respectively. Cox proportional models were used to examine the association of characteristics of reproductive life with disability. RESULTS Mean baseline WS was 143.8 cm/s. Artificial menopause was associated with slower WS at baseline (β = −3.29; 95% confidence interval [CI] = −5.83 to −0.74; P = .01). Reproductive life characteristics had no effect on change in WS. Increasing age at menopause was associated with reduced disability risk (hazard ratio [HR] for 5‐year increase = 0.92; 95% CI = 0.87‐0.99; P = .02), while parity increased disability risk (HR for ≥3 vs 0 children = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.22‐1.93; P < .01). CONCLUSION These findings show that early age at menopause and higher parity have a deleterious effect on motor function that persists in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:585–594, 2020

Long-term effects of premenopausal bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy on physical aging and chronic medical conditions

“…Two studies reported that women who underwent PBO, mainly before the age of 45 years, self-reported more physical function limitations, had greater declines in gait speed, and an increased risk of disability. 39,40 However, self-reported PBO was not associated with a greater risk of prefrailty or frailty over 18 years of follow-up in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. 41 Our results are more consistent with the first two studies because women who underwent PBO with or without hysterectomy before the age of 46 years walked shorter distances in the 6-minute walk test.…”

“…Previous studies examining the relationship between PBO and physical function yielded conflicting results. Two studies reported that women who underwent PBO, mainly before the age of 45 years, self-reported more physical function limitations, had greater declines in gait speed, and an increased risk of disability 39,40 . However, self-reported PBO was not associated with a greater risk of prefrailty or frailty over 18 years of follow-up in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures 41 .…”

Association between sarcopenia and parity in American women in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2011 to 2018

“…Research reports have shown that women aged 65 or older who have given birth to four or more children have a higher risk of disability compared to women with three or fewer children [31,32]. Another study in the United States found that postmenopausal women with three or more children had poorer physical functioning than women who had not given birth [33]. A study based on the Korean population showed that higher parity is independently associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women [34].…”

The association between reproductive history and menopausal symptoms: an evidence from the cross-sectional survey

“…Participants who have a high number of children might be under more stress and pressure, which may put them at risk of more severe symptoms [ 20 ]. It has been reported women with three or more children were at higher risk of disability in advanced age compared to nulliparous women [ 9 ]. Nulliparity is also associated with an early onset of menopause as parous women have an anovulatory period that delays menopause [ 28 ].…”

“…Reproductive history has been found as an involved factor in menopausal symptoms. It has been demonstrated that early age at menopause and higher parity have a deleterious effect on the motor function that persists in older people [ 9 ]. It has been reported in a systematic review and meta-analysis that previous use of oral contraceptives, age at menarche ≥ 13, and having at least one live birth are associated with later menopause.…”