Factors affecting age at menopause among Saudi women in Riyadh, SA: a cross-sectional study

Background
Women experience many changes over the course of life, from menarche to pregnancy and menopause. The factors affecting natural menopause and the variation in women’s menopausal age are not understood. Few studies to date have examined the mean age of menopause and factors affecting it among Saudi women.

Objectives
To determine the association between menopausal age and lifestyle and reproductive factors. To assess knowledge and preventive practices relating to menopause.

Material and methods
This cross-sectional study involved 500 Saudi women between the ages of 45 and 65 years who had no history of breast cancer or surgically induced menopause. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire.

Results
The study involved 500 Saudi women aged 45–65, with a mean age of 51.4. ± 5.06 years and an average age at natural menopause of 49.5 ± 4.9 years. Approximately 49.4% of participants were premenopausal, 21.8% were perimenopausal, and 28.8% were post-menopausal. Analysis of lifestyle factors revealed that 26% never exercised and 56.6% were obese. Regarding the influence of obstetric factors, there were statistically significant differences between groups based on age at menarche, age at marriage, maternal age at menopause, and number of pregnancies. We also assessed knowledge and health care practices (including mammograms, pap smears, DXA, vitamin D and calcium use, and colonoscopy) and menopausal status.

Conclusions
BMI, age at menarche, maternal age at menopause, marital age and parity are associated with age at natural menopause. Knowledge about menopause did not influence common preventive measures for postmenopausal women.