Longer Reproductive Life Span Tied to Lower Odds of Multimorbidity
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2024 -- A longer reproductive life span is associated with a lower prevalence of multimorbidity among postmenopausal women, according to a study published online July 30 in Menopause.
Jiao Jiao, M.D., from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Jinan, China, and colleagues explored the association between reproductive life span and multimorbidity in postmenopausal Chinese women. The analysis included 1,310 postmenopausal women.
The researchers found that the average reproductive life span was 34 years among participants and the prevalence of multimorbidity was 22.2 percent. Compared with postmenopausal women in quartile 1 of the reproductive life span (≤32 reproductive years), those in quartile 3 (35 to 37 reproductive years) and quartile 4 (≥38 reproductive years) were less likely to have multimorbidity (quartile 3: odds ratio [OR], 0.529 [95 percent confidence interval (CI), 0.347 to 0.805]; quartile 4: OR, 0.510 [95 percent CI, 0.308 to 0.842]). Odds of multimorbidity were not significantly increased for participants in quartile 2 (33 to 34 reproductive years; OR, 0.700 [95 percent CI, 0.446 to 1.098]). There was a linear trend in the association between the reproductive life span and multimorbidity, with a longer reproductive life span tied to a lower risk for multimorbidity.
"This study highlights the growing body of evidence that links the duration of the reproductive life span in women with health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and mortality," Stephanie Faubion, M.D., medical director of The Menopause Society, said in a statement. "What remains unclear and needs to be studied further is the direction of the association. In other words, does the presence of multiple chronic diseases cause the ovary to stop functioning earlier, or are the chronic diseases the result of the ovary 'timing out' earlier?"
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Read this next
Urinary Metal Levels Tied to Increased Risk for Later Heart Failure
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- There are consistent associations between elevated urinary metal levels and increased heart failure risk over time across geographically diverse cohorts...
Higher Temperatures Tied to Increased Probability of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Higher temperatures across the globe are associated with an increased probability of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published...
Regular Sexual Activity Linked to Fewer Genitourinary-Related Symptoms in Menopause
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Regular sexual activity is associated with a lower prevalence of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM)-related symptoms, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.