News | Longer Reproductive Lifespan May Reduce Multimorbidity Risk
As the ovaries age, female fertility gradually declines and eventually ends with menopause. The onset of menopause places women at significantly greater risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. New research suggests that a shorter reproductive lifespan is associated with a higher risk of multimorbidity. The findings were published online today in Menopause.
The effects of reproductive factors on women's health have become an important research focus. Earlier studies established that the ovaries are among the first and fastest-aging organs in women, with this aging process leading to menopause at around age 50.
Previous research also examined relationships between age at menarche and menopause and women's health outcomes, including cardiovascular risk. A large study of more than 120,000 postmenopausal women linked reproductive lifespan with stroke risk.
The interval between menarche and menopause reflects the duration of endogenous estrogen exposure. In general, longer exposure is associated with lower disease risk and longer life. The new study included more than 1,300 postmenopausal Chinese women with a mean reproductive lifespan of 34 years and was among the first to examine associations between reproductive factors and multimorbidity, defined as two or more coexisting chronic conditions. Previous research has found multimorbidity to be significantly more common in women than men. Participants were divided into four quartiles by reproductive lifespan: Q1, ≤32 years; Q2, 33–34 years; Q3, 35–37 years; and Q4, ≥38 years.
The results confirmed that a longer reproductive lifespan was associated with a lower risk of multimorbidity. Postmenopausal women in Q3 and Q4 were less likely to have multimorbidity than those in Q1. The study also identified a linear trend between longer reproductive lifespan and lower multimorbidity risk.
Based on the results, the researchers recommend that healthcare professionals screen and assess reproductive factors to identify people at high risk.
The findings were published in an article titled “Association Between Reproductive Lifespan and Multimorbidity in Postmenopausal Chinese Women.”
This study adds to growing evidence of an association between reproductive lifespan and health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and mortality. The direction of the association remains unclear and requires further research: do multiple chronic conditions cause ovarian function to stop earlier, or does earlier ovarian “shutdown” contribute to chronic disease?
News | Longer Reproductive Lifespan May Reduce Multimorbidity Risk
News | Longer Reproductive Lifespan May Reduce Multimorbidity Risk
As the ovaries age, female fertility gradually declines and eventually ends with menopause. The onset of menopause places women at significantly greater risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. New research suggests that a shorter reproductive lifespan is associated with a higher risk of multimorbidity. The findings were published online today in Menopause.
The effects of reproductive factors on women's health have become an important research focus. Earlier studies established that the ovaries are among the first and fastest-aging organs in women, with this aging process leading to menopause at around age 50.
Previous research also examined relationships between age at menarche and menopause and women's health outcomes, including cardiovascular risk. A large study of more than 120,000 postmenopausal women linked reproductive lifespan with stroke risk.
The interval between menarche and menopause reflects the duration of endogenous estrogen exposure. In general, longer exposure is associated with lower disease risk and longer life. The new study included more than 1,300 postmenopausal Chinese women with a mean reproductive lifespan of 34 years and was among the first to examine associations between reproductive factors and multimorbidity, defined as two or more coexisting chronic conditions. Previous research has found multimorbidity to be significantly more common in women than men. Participants were divided into four quartiles by reproductive lifespan: Q1, ≤32 years; Q2, 33–34 years; Q3, 35–37 years; and Q4, ≥38 years.
The results confirmed that a longer reproductive lifespan was associated with a lower risk of multimorbidity. Postmenopausal women in Q3 and Q4 were less likely to have multimorbidity than those in Q1. The study also identified a linear trend between longer reproductive lifespan and lower multimorbidity risk.
Based on the results, the researchers recommend that healthcare professionals screen and assess reproductive factors to identify people at high risk.
The findings were published in an article titled “Association Between Reproductive Lifespan and Multimorbidity in Postmenopausal Chinese Women.”
This study adds to growing evidence of an association between reproductive lifespan and health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and mortality. The direction of the association remains unclear and requires further research: do multiple chronic conditions cause ovarian function to stop earlier, or does earlier ovarian “shutdown” contribute to chronic disease?
Source:
Collected online