Age at natural menopause and its determinants in Shiraz

ABSTRACT

The mean age at natural menopause among women of Shiraz in relation to socio-demographic factors was calculated. The data were obtained from a population-based, cross-sectional study carried out in the year 2000. Interviews were carried out and observations made with women in Shiraz, who had undergone a natural menopause. Chosen at random basis from a sample using postal zones housing framework. The most important results include mean +/- SD age at menopause in the population of 48.3 +/- 5.3 years [95% CI 47.97-48.62] with a median of 49 years. Groups of women with an average early menopause were those with never married [44.7 years, P < 0.006], low income level [47.4 years P < 0.002], low social class [45.8 years, P < 0.000], tobacco use [47.9 years, P < 0.014] non consanguine husband [48.1 Year, P < 0.027]. This phenomenon must be documented in Iran because of it's strong links with morbidity and mortality of the growing number of women who are reaching advanced ages and whose survival is calculated at a quarter century after menopause