Epidemiologic Risk Factors for Variation in Age at Natural Menopause: Shreds of Evidence from a Tribal Community in North-East India

Abstract

In the coming decades, the proportion of Indian women aged 45 years and above is anticipated to rise dramatically and, women could expect to spend nearly 30 years in the post-menopausal years. There is scanty menopausal research to identify the risk factors of early and late menopause in North-East India. This research was conducted in the rural parts of the flood-prone area of Dhemaji district of Assam in North-East India in 2017. Five hundred sixteen women aged 43–61 years were found eligible to participate in the study (response rate 93.48%). Women were categorized into four groups based on menopausal age: early menopausal (40–44 years), relatively early menopausal (45–49 years), 50–51 years (reference category), and 52 years and above as late menopausal. 15.12% women reported being early menopausal. In univariate analysis, statistically significant association was found between age at menopause and occupational status, age at sexual union, age at first and last childbirth, oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) used, nulliparity, regular consumption of traditional rice beer, mother’s age at menopause, and high levels of chronic and routine stress. Multiple regression analysis revealed occupation, mother’s natural menopausal age, age at first sexual entry, regular consumption of traditional rice beer, moderate to high levels of routine and chronic stress, age at last birth, acceptance of OCPs for at least 5 years, and parity as potential epidemiologic risk factors of early and late menopause.