Age at the onset of menopause and its influencing factors in Turkish women in a rural area

Abstract

This study was performed to identify menopausal age and its determining factors in women over 40 residing in the Dogubeyazit district of Agri, located in Eastern Turkey. This cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 1,068 women, selected by simple random sampling among all district health center records of women aged 40 and greater, who were each attributed a random serial number. While 35.6% of the subjects had not yet reached menopause, 60.5% had entered it spontaneously and 3.9% surgically. Average age at spontaneous menopause was 47.4 ± 3.7 years and that of surgical menopause 45.1 ± 5.0. Age at marriage, age of last pregnancy, and the age of the subject's mother at menopause affected menopausal status. Identifying menopausal age and its determining factors may modify the menopausal status of women and their management of the perimenopausal period.

Exploring menopausal dynamics: a cross-sectional analysis of age, symptomatology, and sociodemographic influences in a developing population of women aged 40-60

“…A systematic review indicates that the average age of menopause varies in different regions, with values reported as 50.1-52.8 in Europe, 50.5-51.4 in North America, and 43.8-53 in Latin America [12]. When specifically considering Turkey, previous studies have reported, similar to our study, an average natural menopausal age of 47.8±4.0 for the urban region and 47.4±3.7 for the rural region [6,13].…”

“…However, it's noteworthy that the mean ages of the women included in this study were higher than those in our study (51.3±9.4 vs. 48.2±5.9) [6].…”

“…While the exact prevalence of menopause in Turkey is not fully known, the Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) reported that among women aged 30 and above, 42% cited menopause or hysterectomy as reasons for not using family planning [14]. On the other hand, Pirincci and colleagues, in their study conducted in a rural region, reported a higher menopausal rate of 64.4% among women aged 40 and above compared to our study [6].…”

“…In developed countries, the average age of natural menopause is around 51-52, whereas in developing countries, this age tends to be lower [3]. Reviewing the literature reveals that genetic, demographic, reproductive, and sociocultural factors may exert influence on the age of menopause [4][5][6].…”

Effect of Deep Breathing and Kegel Exercises on Stress Urinary Incontinence among Elderly Women

“…The studied women were in menopausal stages with their aging adverse effects necessarily occur. Besides a sizable proportion of them go through pregnancy and delivered vaginally for more than three times [24] who studied age at the onset of menopause and its influencing factors in Turkish women in a rural area and supported the idea that age and menopausal state are attribution factors interfering with Kegel's effect and added that age was statistically correlated to SUI. From the researcher point of view the older age; more the problem is confronted especially in menopausal women due to decreased levels of estrogen hormone which weaken pelvic floor muscles.…”