title: Ages at menarche and menopause and reproductive lifespan as predictors of exceptional longevity in women: the Women's Health Initiative.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between reproductive factors and survival to age 90 years.
  
  
  
  This was a prospective study of postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative recruited from 1993 to 1998 and followed until the last outcomes evaluation on August 29, 2014. Participants included 16,251 women born on or before August 29, 1924 for whom survival to age 90 during follow-up was ascertained. Women were classified as having survived to age 90 (exceptional longevity) or died before age 90. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations of ages at menarche and menopause (natural or surgical) and reproductive lifespan with longevity, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and reproductive characteristics.
  
  
  
  Participants were on average aged 74.7 years (range, 69-81 y) at baseline. Of 16,251 women, 8,892 (55%) survived to age 90. Women aged at least 12 years at menarche had modestly increased odds of longevity (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% CI, 1.00-1.19). There was a significant trend toward increased longevity for later age at menopause (natural or surgical; Ptrend = 0.01), with ORs (95% CIs) of 1.19 (1.04-1.36) and 1.18 (1.02-1.36) for 50 to 54 and at least 55 compared with less than 40 years, respectively. Later age at natural menopause as a separate exposure was also significantly associated with increased longevity (Ptrend = 0.02). Longer reproductive lifespan was significantly associated with increased longevity (Ptrend = 0.008). The odds of longevity were 13% (OR 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.25) higher in women with more than 40 compared with less than 33 reproductive years.
  
  
  
  Reproductive characteristics were associated with late-age survival in older women.
authors.affiliation: 1San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint-Doctoral Program in Public Health (Epidemiology), San Diego, CA 2Division of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 3Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 4Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 5The North American Menopause Society, Emeritus, Cleveland, OH 6Departments of Quantitative Health Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 7Department of Medicine, Stanford Center for Prevention Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 8Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA.
authors.forename: Aladdin H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shadyab
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Macera
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Margery L S
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gass
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.forename: Marcia L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Stefanick
authors.forename: Andrea Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: LaCroix
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D008572:Menarche / Q000502:physiology*; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017584:Reproductive History; D057566:Self Report; D016387:Women's Health