Study: Menstruation before age 12 likely to increase menopause symptoms later

A new study has found that early menstruation increases the likelihood of hot flushes and night sweats years later at menopause. The study, led by University of Queensland researchers, has been published in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology. The data from more than 18,000 middle-aged women across the UK, US, and Australia was analysed by School of Public Health researchers.

Dr Hsin-Fang Chung, University of Queensland, said the study showed that women who started menstruating at the age of 11 or younger were likely to have a 50 per cent higher risk of experiencing frequent hot flushes and night sweats - also known as vasomotor symptoms - at menopause.

The researchers compared the above group of women with those who had their first period at 14 or older. "The risk of the women who menstruated early experiencing both symptoms was greater than having either hot flushes or night sweats alone," Dr Chung was quoted as saying. Early menstruation had previously been linked to serious health conditions in life, like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, she added.

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