Time to the final menstrual period.
OBJECTIVE
To determine, for a woman aged >45 years, whether selected hormonal, health status, and demographic measures are related to the time to final menstrual period (FMP) from a point where 6 weeks separate the shortest and longest cycles experienced to date.


METHODS
Cohort study.


METHODS
Volunteers in an academic research environment.


METHODS
Ninety-nine menstruating women aged 46 years to 55 years on entry completed menstrual diaries, gave annual blood samples, and were interviewed annually. They were observed for a mean period of 1.5 years. Seventy-seven reached FMP during observation.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Time to reach FMP from the date of a marker event-the difference between the longest and shortest of recent cycles reaching 6 weeks.


RESULTS
Women self-rating as in the transition have a greater "hazard" or probability of FMP at any time after the marker event. Allowing for this and other covariates, the hazard is estimated to increase by 30% (confidence interval [CI]: 10%, 60%) for each year of age and 50% (CI: 7%, 118%) for each unit increase in log FSH, measured at the time of the marker event.


CONCLUSIONS
For women aged >45 years, the time remaining in the menopausal transition from the day on which >or=6 weeks separate the longest and shortest recent cycles is related to self-rating of menopausal status and to serum FSH level. The median number of months remaining ranges from 11 for those with FSH of >20 IU/L and who see themselves as in transition to 21 months for those with lower FSH and who notice little evidence of being in transition.
School of Mathematical Sciences, Swinburne University, Victoria, Hawthorn, Australia. jtaffe@bigpond.net.au
John
J
Taffe
Lorraine
L
Dennerstein
D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008499:Medical Records; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010298:Parity; D012907:Smoking; D013997:Time Factors