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Modena, Italy (pte013/12.05.2005/09:30) - In a study of almost 3000 women, an Italian team of researchers have found that many of those born in March experience menopause at age 48, while those born in October reached 50 before menopause hit.
The study was only conducted on women who had attended menopause clinics and may not relate to all women - findings may also vary from country to country. However they still held true, even when factors that can affect menopause such as weight and smoking were taken into account.
The study, documented in Human Reproduction, is inconclusive and many questions still need to be answered.
Dr Angelo Cagnacci, from the University of Modena http://www.unimo.it/ said, "It may be that women born in the autumn develop better as a foetus and are born with more eggs in their ovaries than women born in the spring." He also says that mother should be aware of the seasonal aspect of menopause, "... considering that during pregnancy they are going to influence, not only the health of the newborn, but also the health and reproductive life of their child during adulthood," Dr Cagnacci said.
"An alternative explanation may be that early mortality is highest among children born in autumn, thus selecting the fittest for survival," Dr Cagnacci said. Other studies, however, don't support this view.
A consultant at the Royal Brompton in London and spokesman for the British Menopause Society, Dr John Stevenson, said that women shouldn't be worried about these findings. "They are interesting for scientists, but really, they don't mean much for individual women. Plus, you can't alter when you were born."
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