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Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8649-8863
AccessType
Campus-Only Access for Five (5) Years
Document Type
dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Program
Public Health
Year Degree Awarded
2021
Month Degree Awarded
February
First Advisor
Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson
Second Advisor
Brian W. Whitcomb
Third Advisor
Susan E. Hankinson
Fourth Advisor
Lynnette L. Sievert
Subject Categories
Epidemiology
Abstract
Early natural menopause, defined as the cessation of ovarian function before the age of 45 years, affects approximately 10% of women in Western populations. Women experiencing early menopause are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other major health conditions. The reproductive aging process is characterized by the gradual decrease in both the quantity and quality of oocytes and may be accelerated or delayed by certain reproductive factors which potentially affect menopause timing. The majority of prior studies examining the association of reproductive factors with menopause timing have been limited by cross-sectional examination of the reproductive factors; consequently, it remains unclear how much reverse causality affects results. This dissertation examines time-varying reproductive factors including parity, breastfeeding, oral contraceptive use, tubal ligation, in utero exposures and pregnancy conditions and their association with early natural menopause among the 116,429 participants in the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) prospective cohort. Self-reported reproductive factors, menopause status and age at menopause were assessed at baseline (1989) and every two years for 28 years. Our findings may identify modifiable risk factors and help elucidate the complex physiology of early natural menopause.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/20344591
Recommended Citation
Langton, Christine Rose, "Association of Reproductive Factors With Risk of Early Natural Menopause" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations. 2114.
https://doi.org/10.7275/20344591
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/2114