We describe how a woman’s age at menopause and whether she experiences
natural or surgical menopause depends on her social and biological experiences from
prenatal through adult life. We contrast evidence from Western industrialized nations and
developing countries. Menopause occurs because of the depletion of the follicular reserve
or as a result of surgery. Among the most robust risk factors for age at natural menopause
are those that influence follicular pool development and decline, including birth outcomes,
early life development and socioeconomic status, smoking, and parity. Relationships with
indicators of reproductive health from earlier in life, adult weight, and adult socioeconomic
status have less robust relationships with age at and type of menopause. Hysterectomy is
related to socioeconomic status across the life course, parity, and weight in mid to later
adulthood. While studies from Western industrialized countries are more numerous, studies
from developing countries suggest differences in socioeconomic status and early life
development for both age at menopause and type of menopause. We close by providing
suggestions for how future research may further the understanding of the interaction of
social and biological contributors to age at and type of menopause
Keywords: Natural menopause, hysterectomy, life course, weight, socioeconomic
status, birth outcomes, reproductive characteristics, age at menarche, reproductive
aging, genetics, developing countries.
