Menopausal status and factors affecting cessation of menses in the region of Bonn, Germany

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Because of the high prevalence of hormone use and reproductive surgeries in Western women natural menopause is a less frequent condition. Our aim was to examine the influences of hormonal and other factors on timing of cessation of menses. We analysed population controls of a German case-control study on breast cancer risks. The sample comprised N=829 women without hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy. We estimated the risk for the occurrence of last menses by Cox proportional hazard modelling. For calculating hazard rate ratios (HRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) women with menstrual cycles up to one year before interview were censored at that age. Median age at cessation of menses was 50 years (inter-quartile range 47–53 years). A significant later cessation of menses resulted from oral contraceptive use (HRR 0.74, 95% CI 0.59–0.93 for up to 10 years), and hormone therapy use until last menses (HRR 0.57, 95% CI 0.47–0.70). Also, thyroidal medications were associated with a delayed cessation of menses (HRR 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.96 for more than 10 years of use). Smoking until at least two years before last menses and allergies revealed an earlier cessation of bleedings (HRR 1.50, 95% CI 1.22–1.83 and HRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.07–1.53 respectively). Natural menopause is difficult to determine. Factors affecting the ovaries or the endocrine system can modulate timing of menopause. Endocrine biomarkers should be additionally taken into account when defining menopausal status.</jats:p>

Progesterone/Estradiol Ratio Is Related to Real-Life Alcohol Consumption in Alcohol Use Disorder in a Sex- and Menstrual Cycle Phase-Dependent Manner

“…They reported a regular cycle during the previous 3 months of at least 21 and at maximum 35 days, negated intake of contraceptives or other hormones, reported the date of the last menses, and were not older than 42 years. This maximum age results from the age of 50 years (= median age at cessation of menses in females in Germany (41,42)) minus (up to) 8 years for perimenopause (43). We also included 285 males.…”