Age at menopause and childbearing patterns in relation to mortality

Abstract

Several studies have reported increased mortality risk with early natural menopause. More recently, mortality risk was reported to be reduced among women who gave birth at age > or =40 years. The association between reproductive history and mortality was explored among 826 women in a prospective study involving 18,959 person-years of follow-up (from age 50 to 1990-1991) and 108 deaths. After adjustment for age and other covariates, the risk ratio among parous women was 1.53 (95% confidence interval: 0.58, 4.07) for natural menopause at age < or =45 years compared with > or =51 years. In contrast to a previous report, however, the highest estimated mortality risk was seen among women who gave birth in their forties (adjusted risk ratio = 2.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 4.38) compared with having a last birth at ages 30-34 years.

PIP: This paper studied the association between menopausal and reproductive history and mortality risk in a cohort of 826 women in a prospective study involving 18,959 person-years of follow-up (from age 50 to 1990-91) and 108 deaths. According to studies, the risk of mortality was reduced among women who gave birth at age 40 or older. After an adjustment for age and other covariates, the risk ratio among parous women was 1.53 (95% confidence interval: 0.58, 4.07) for natural menopause at age 45 or younger compared with age 51 or older. Contrary to a previous report, the highest estimated mortality risk was seen among women who gave birth in their 40s (adjusted risk ratio = 2.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 4.38) compared with having a last birth at ages 30-34.