An overview of age of onset of menopause in northern India

Objectives: This study was conducted to establish the age at onset of natural menopause (ANM) in northern Indian women and also to determine any socio-demographic, reproductive or physical factors that may affect it. Materials and methods: Three hundred and fifty women who were accompanying other patients to the outpatient clinic of obstetrics and gynaecology. They came from different parts of northern India since ARMS is a tertiary health referral centre. All women who had permanent cessation of menstruation for more than I year naturally were interviewed (n = 20 1). A semistructured questionairre was designed to study the ANM and various demographic, reproductive, and socio-economic factors which affect it. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis to see if there was any association between age at natural menopause and various socio-demographic factors. Results: The median ANM of the study sample was 48 years with the mean age of 46.7 years. There was no association between the various socio-demographic and reproductive factors and age at onset of menopause. Conclusion: The age at onset of menopause in northern India is 48 years which is about 3 years earlier than the west. Socio-demographic and reproductive factors did not affect the age at onset of menopause in our study. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.