Premature and early menopause : risk factors in Jordanian women

Abstract EN

Objective : To identify risk factors associated with the onset of premature (<40 years) and early (40-45 years) menopause in a sample of Jordanian women.

Methods : This prospective study was undertaken at Princess Aisha Medical Complex, Amman between August 2007 and February 2008.

A total of 1,000 postmenopausal women were included.

Factors taken into consideration were age at menarche, age at first delivery, parity, number of miscarriages, history of gynaecological or obstetric surgeries (ovarian, tubal and / or uterine), smoking status and history of premature menopause in first-degree relatives.

Results : Out of the 1,000 women, 129 (12.9%) had had menopause before the age of 46 years : 27 (2.7%) before the age of 40 and 102 (10.2%) before the age of 46 years.

In these groups, the only statistically significant factor was history of premature menopause in first-degree relatives.

Interestingly, in women who had had menopause after the age of ≥ 46 years, the rate of hysterectomies was statistically higher.

Conclusion : Early and premature menopause is strongly associated with history of premature menopause in first-degree relatives.

No other factors studied proved to have any statistical significance.