How to delay menopause age..

Patient's question:

How to delay menopause age

Doctor's answer:

Menopause refers to the period when ovarian function gradually declines and eventually ceases. According to international statistics, women who experience menopause before the age of 40 have a 39% higher risk of death compared to those who do menopause between 40 and 44, a 60% higher risk compared to those between 45 and 49, and a 95% higher risk compared to those between 50 and 54. Therefore, understanding the various factors that influence menopause and delaying the age of menopause are critical issues in the healthcare of middle-aged and elderly women. The most important factor determining the age of menopause is the number of oocytes.
At birth, each ovary contains approximately one million oocytes, which gradually decrease after birth. When the number of oocytes reduces to a critical level, menopause occurs. To date, the mechanisms controlling or regulating the rate of oocyte decline are not fully understood, but the following factors are clearly associated with the timing of menopause.
Nutrition and Menopausal Age
Research has found that women with long-term malnutrition, shorter stature, and lower body weight have an average menopausal age of 43.6 years, compared to those with better nutrition, relatively taller stature, and relatively higher body weight, who have an average menopausal age of 47.3 years.
Smoking as a Major Factor in Early Menopause
Smoking is a significant contributor to early menopause. Benzo[a]pyrene in cigarettes is a lethal factor for oocytes. Animal experiments have shown that low doses of benzo[a]pyrene can destroy 25% of oocytes, while high doses can destroy 98% of them. A study by the Royal University Hospital in the UK found that smokers enter menopause an average of 54 years earlier than non-smokers.
Diseases and Menopause
Chronic debilitating diseases, metabolic and endocrine disorders, tumors, mumps complicated with orchitis, and other conditions can lead to ovarian dysfunction, abnormal hormone secretion from the adrenal cortex, thyroid, pituitary gland, etc., and result in early menopause. Additionally, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and some autoimmune diseases can also cause premature ovarian dysfunction and menopause.
Psychological Factors and Menopausal Age
Menopausal age is also related to various psychological and mental factors. Studies have shown that women with harmonious marital relationships and satisfying sexual lives tend to experience menopause at a later age compared to those with poor marital relationships, excessive sexual activity, or a lack of sexual life. In particular, women under chronic psychological stress, overwork, long-term depression, or anxiety may experience early menopause due to its impact on neuroendocrine function.
In China, the average age of menopause for urban women is 49.5 years, while for rural women, it is 47.5 years. The age range for menopause can be between 35 and 55 years. In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51.4 years, with a range of 48 to 55 years. Over the past century, the age of menarche has tended to decrease, but changes in menopausal age have not been as significant.
Menopause before the age of 40 is referred to as "premature menopause" or "early ovarian failure." Approximately 1% of women experience menopause before the age of 40, while menopause after the age of 55 is called "delayed menopause." A new study suggests that a woman's menopausal age may be influenced by the month of her birth.