Age at Natural Menopause and Associated Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From the Shahrekord Cohort Study

Background and aims: Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life that is influenced by various factors. This study aimed to identify the age at natural menopause and its associated factors within a large-scale, population-based cohort in Iran. Methods: A subset of data collected during the enrollment phase of the Shahrekord Cohort Study (SCS) was utilized in this study. General information, along with factors related to fertility and childbearing, was gathered using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation tests, and a linear regression model. Results: Among the participants of the SCS, 2,141 were menopausal women. The mean age at natural and unnatural menopause was 49.30±5.9 and 45.26±7 years, respectively. Based on the results, job status, body mass index, history of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, number of pregnancies and live births, breastfeeding history and duration (in months), history of infertility treatment, contraceptive use, use of contraceptive pills, use of hormone replacement therapy, and age at oophorectomy influenced the age of menopause. However, after adjusting for confounding variables, none of these factors were significantly associated with natural menopause. Conclusion: Overall, the mean age at natural menopause was consistent with the findings of other studies conducted in Iran. Following adjustment for confounding variables, none of the examined factors were remarkably related to natural menopause.