The impact of hormonal therapy for infertility on the age at menopause.
OBJECTIVE
To look for possible association between past history of ovulation induction and age at menopause.


METHODS
Women attending our postmenopausal outpatient clinic were asked to fill questionnaires with demographic data, obstetrical history (including treatment for infertility), and medical details related to menopause.


METHODS
The study group (n=31) consisted of women with a history of ovulation induction, and a control group (n=200) included women who did not experience such intervention.


RESULTS
The age at the final menstrual bleeding was 46.4+/-5 in the study group, and 50+/-4 for the control group (P<0.001). This difference was most prominent for women who had induction of ovulation prior to age 35 years: they entered menopause at age 43.8+/-5 years. Smoking had a weak effect on the age at menopause (48.5+/-4 for current, vs. 49.9+/-4 for non- or past-smokers; P<0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective and preliminary study raises the question whether hormonal manipulations and ovarian over-stimulation during fertility treatments could be a risk factor for premature menopause.
Pines
A
A
Department of Medicine T, Ichilov Hospital, 6 Weizman Street, Tel-Aviv, Israel. apines@netvision.net.il
Shapira
I
I
Mijatovic
V
V
Margalioth
E J
EJ
Frenkel
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000628:therapy; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D012307:Risk Factors