Reproductive Correlates of Natural Age at Menopause: A Study on the Minyong of Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

This cross-sectional study attempts to determine the median age at menopause of 154 ever-married menopausal women belonging to the Minyong tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh. The study further attempts to see whether there is any significant association between age at menopause and the reproductive variables. The results of this study reject the association between age at menarche and menopause. Cox univariate regression of proportional risks analysis shows that the age at menopause is significantly related with age at marriage, nature of lifetime menstrual cycle, length between consecutive menstrual cycles, parity, age at last delivery, and postpartum amenorrhea (PPA). A less-studied variable, PPA, is undertaken, and a significant association is observed between the duration of PPA and the age at natural menopause. Multiparous women and later age at last delivery reported late age at natural menopause.