Childhood Abuse and Menopausal Transitions in a Cohort of Middle-Aged New Zealand Women

Doi: 10.1097 / GME.00000000000000001976

Commentary.

This study is about the relationship between child abuse and menopause at age 40.

Data for the study were collected from a longitudinal birth cohort of 1,265 individuals (630 women) born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1977 to female members of the Christchurch Health Development Study. The data were defined as pre- and peri-menopausal with respect to menopause, and retrospective reporting of CSA (<16 years) and CPP (<16 years) was obtained with information at ages 18 and 21 years.

From these analyses, the sample consisted of n = 468 women with data recorded for both menopausal status at age 40 and history of abuse (<16 years), of which 22% (n = 104) were classified as perimenopausal/postmenopausal.

These statistically significant associations were found between CSA severity and menopausal status, but not between CPP and menopausal status. And that the association with CSA was strong because it controlled for both pediatric confounders (<16 years) and intervening adult factors (18-40 years) associated with the menopausal transition.

In a fully adjusted model, women who experienced severe CSA with attempted/completed sexual penetration were reported to be twice as likely to be peri- and postmenopausal compared to women who did not report CSA. (39.0% vs. 18.8%)

The researchers stated that the severity of CSA exposure is associated with an earlier transition into menopause.