Season of birth linked to menopause

[Maddy McCall]

Scientists in Italy have found that a woman's month of birth determines more than just her star sign - it also influences the age when menopause begins.

Researchers at the University of Modena have discovered that women born in March have the earliest age of menopause, while those with an October birthday have the latest.

"The age of menopause is influenced by the season in which the female is born," said Dr Angelo Cagnacci, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the university.

The findings, reported in the journal Human Reproduction, support the theory that environmental factors before birth have an impact on the baby's adult life.

More at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1367386.htm

[Demit]

1. In Italy, maybe (as the article points out)

Born in October & menopausal by 40, here.

[Skittles]

3. born in March and at age 48 I have no symptoms

this article is nonsense I suspect

[DemExpat]

5. I also am an exception to this study

Born in March and late with menopause.....
Of course I wasn't born in Italy either.

DemEx

[bpeale]

9. it's not BS!!!

I completely finished with menopause at age 46 and I was born in March. There may be some truth to it. My mother was born in January & didn't go thru menopause until age early to mid-50's.

[antonialee839]

13. Born in August

will be 43 and having a hot flash at this moment.

[bunny planet]

17. Me too. August birthday, and hot flashes all year long!

Sounds like a silly study although the environmental aspect of it mentioned at the end is worth pursueing.

on edit, I shouldn't have dismissed it as silly, I haven't read it yet.
Just mood swings I guess.

[HuckleB]

14. Hmm.

How is it nonsense? It's an epidemiological study that shows average age of onset. Certainly it's conclusions cannot be assumed for the entirety of the world's population of women. But they can't be completely discounted either.

[BiggJawn]

20. Hit my girlfriend like a ton of bricks at 51.

One day, all smiles, cool, calm and horney..
Next day, BAM! depression, hot "flashes" (that's like calling Nagasaki a "flash") crying jags, OCD, and total end of sexual desire.

Her birthday is in March, too.

[demnan]

2. My cousin was born in March

and her menses didn't stop until she was 57 years old.

[Bunny]

11. My mother too, almost!

She was born in March, and didn't completely finish up with menopause till she was 55.

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. Interesting statistically.

Can't see how it makes much of a difference to individual women. Particularly those who weren't born in Italy. I hope this information was gained in the midst of research that was seriously intended to address female health issues.

[Patiod]

6. Not at all far-fetched - it is true of a number of conditions

schizophrenia, for instance.

According to Marc Lallanilla (ABCNEWS.com):

"Most scientists suspect environmental factors are the culprit. For instance, fetal exposure to seasonal viruses like the flu virus, or to a symptom of viral exposure like fever, might be a possible cause....For example, mosquito-borne diseases vary with mosquito populations and factors such as weather. Researchers also believe neurological and behavioral disorders like schizophrenia might be linked to viral exposure during the second trimester of pregnancy, when fetal neurodevelopment begins.
.
.
Other factors occurring during pregnancy have been considered, including seasonal dietary deficiencies, prenatal or newborn exposure to seasonal allergens like pollen, and vitamin D deficiencies over the dark months of winter (vitamin D is synthesized by your body during exposure to sunlight). No study, however, has been able to prove a definite cause-and-effect relationship.
.
.
.
"Environmental factors are very difficult to study and are very speculative," says Dr. Emmanuel Mignot, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, whose research discovered the increase in narcolepsy among people born in March. "It's nearly impossible to find out what could be involved, like finding a needle in a haystack."

http://intraspec.ca/month_disease.php

[Maddy McCall]

7. Very, very interesting.

[havocmom]

10. One would think life conditions, diet, stress, polution exposure might

have a bigger impact on menopause though.

divorce stress = early start on the project for me. Doctors said not uncommon at all to see that response to extreme stress.

Good bet proper vs poor diet plays a part for many, as it certainly can affect fertility.

[HuckleB]

8. When you were born influences when you reach the menopause

When you were born influences when you reach the menopause

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24237

"Research by Italian experts on the menopause has found that that the month and the season in which a woman is born influence the age at which she reaches menopause.

A study of nearly 3,000 post-menopausal women showed that the earliest age of menopause was found in women born in March and the latest among those born in October. On average there was around 15 months' difference, with women born in October reaching menopause at over 50 years compared with under 49 years for women born in March.

Writing in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction<1>, lead author Dr Angelo Cagnacci said that the findings reinforced the concept that prenatal environmental factors affected a baby's adult life.

"Mothers should be aware of this, considering that during pregnancy they are going to influence, not only the health of the newborn, but also the health and reproductive life of their child during adulthood," he said.

..."

Interesting, though I admit, I'm not certain just how useful this is the general public as a whole.

[gauguin57]

12. Fall birthday here ... and somewhat early menopause.

Sorry, Italian researchers.

[HuckleB]

15. Average age is the finding.

Every individual will be different. This is a study across a population.

[yorkiemommie1]

16. born in March

Menopause at age 57. As my nurse practioner said, " Above and beyond the call of duty ".

[lumpy]

18. Too many factors

determine at what age menopause will appear. General health, genetics, hormones. What does this have to do with anything? Another BS 'study'.

[Arkansas Granny]

19. October birthday

Menopause at 46! Hurray!!!!!!!!!!!