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Season of Birth May Affect Age of Menopause
May 11, 2005 -- Women born in the spring months may start menopause slightly sooner than women born in the fall, according to new research.
The Italian study showed that, on average, women who were born in March started menopause earliest, just before their 49th birthday, while those born in October started latest, about three months after their 50th birthday.
According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in North America the average age of menopause is 51.
Researchers say the results add to growing evidence that environmental factors affecting the fetus during pregnancy may affect the baby's adult life.
In this case, female babies born in the autumn may have developed better and may be born with a larger number of eggs than babies born in the spring. Menopause occurs when a woman completely ends her menstruation, when her ovaries lose their ability to supply eggs.
Spring Baby, Earlier Menopause?
In the study, researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 women attending four different menopause clinics in Italy about their season and month of birth and age at which they started menopause. The results appear in the current issue of the journal Human Reproduction.
They found that the average age of menopause was about age 49 for women born in the spring and almost 50 for women born in the fall.
Researchers say those differences remained significant even after taking other factors that may affect the starting age of menopause, such as age of their first period, weight, smoking status, level of education, and occupation.
Although the seasons may affect women differently in different geographic areas, researchers say the results seem to show that there are notable effects of the month and season of a woman's birth on the length of her fertile life.
They say it's not exactly clear what environmental factors may affect the timing of menopause in a woman before she's born. But possible explanations may include seasonal differences in temperature and sunlight that may affect fetal development. Seasonal factors may also affect diet or exposure to infections in the mother, which may affect the function of the ovaries in females before birth.
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VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
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