title: Association between reproductive factors and age-related macular degeneration in postmenopausal women: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2012.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between female reproductive factors and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nationwide population-based cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationally representative dataset acquired from the 2010-2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed. The dataset involved information for 4,377 postmenopausal women aged ≥50 years with a fundus photograph evaluable for AMD in either eye. All participants were interviewed using standardized questionnaires to determine reproductive factors including menstruation, pregnancy, parity, lactation, and hormonal use. The association between reproductive factors and each type of AMD was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study participants was 63.1±0.2 years. Mean ages at menarche and menopause were 16.1±0.0 and 49.2±0.1 years, respectively. The overall prevalence rates of early and late AMD were 11.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.1-12.5) and 0.8% (95% CI, 0.5-1.2), respectively. When adjusted for age, neither smoking nor alcohol use was associated with the presence of any AMD or late AMD. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed age (OR, 1.12 per 1 year), duration of lactation (OR, 0.91 per 6 months), and duration of use of oral contraceptive pills (OCP) (OR, 1.10 per 6 months) as associated factors for late AMD. The other variables did not yield a significant correlation with the risk of any AMD or late AMD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After controlling for confounders, a longer duration of lactation appeared to protect against the development of late AMD. A longer duration of OCP use was associated with a higher risk of late AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bum-Joo
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jang Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Pil
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeeyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul Metropolitan Government Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Wan
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hum
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010298:Parity; D017698:Postmenopause; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors