A recent study highlights that women who have experienced infertility may be more likely to face certain menopause symptoms, such as mood swings, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society, the research suggests that a history of infertility might be a key factor in how women experience menopause.
Menopause affects women differently, with symptoms varying in severity based on a range of biological, social, and psychological factors. While the relationship between infertility and menopause has not been extensively studied, some evidence indicates that women with a history of infertility may go through menopause earlier and experience more severe symptoms. Infertility itself has been shown to be as stressful as a cancer diagnosis, and such life stressors are linked to more intense menopause symptoms.
The new study focused on nearly 700 midlife women and aimed to evaluate how infertility affects menopause symptoms. Around 37% of the participants reported having infertility, a figure higher than the national average of 27.6%, according to the Nurses’ Health Study.
The study found that women with a history of infertility were more likely to experience sleep problems, depressive moods, and irritability during menopause. However, infertility did not appear to be linked to other common menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, or anxiety.
Previous research has shown that infertility treatment can lead to depression in 30% to 60% of women. This study is the first to connect a history of infertility to depressive symptoms in midlife, suggesting that women with this background may need more attention for mental health during menopause.
The full study is titled “Exploring the relationship between history of infertility and the experience of menopausal symptoms.”
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