The study, involving nearly 700 women, sought to connect history of psychosocial stressors from childhood through pregnancy with worse menopause symptoms.
Trauma occurring early in a woman’s life will likely continue taking its toll physically and mentally years after those stressors have been removed. (Creative Commons)
A new study published in Menopause suggests that a history of psychosocial stressors (physical or sexual abuse, or financial instability) can lead to worse menopause symptoms and poorer well-being even two decades later.
Trauma occurring early in a woman’s life will likely continue taking its toll physically and mentally years after those stressors have been removed.
Menopause is often accompanied by a number of symptoms that adversely affect a woman’s quality of life, including hot flashes, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and sexual dysfunction.
However, not all women’s menopause experiences are the same, with some women having much more severe issues. There are many reasons for the differences.
In the study involving nearly 700 women, researchers sought to connect a history of psychosocial stressors from childhood through pregnancy with worse menopause symptoms.
The study, conducted by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), specifically focused on the history of stressors as reported at the time of pregnancy and their connection with a woman’s health during midlife, 15 to 20 years later.
Within this study group, a history of physical abuse was reported by 37.3 percent of the participants — who also reported worse menopause symptoms and worse general health, as well as greater depressive symptoms.
Another 7.7 percent reported a history of sexual abuse, which was also associated with worse symptoms during the menopause transition, as well as worse general health.
A history of financial instability was associated with worse menopause symptoms, worse general health, and greater depressive symptoms. There was no association, however, between psychosocial stressors and generalised anxiety symptoms assessed at midlife.
Based on study results, the researchers concluded that psychosocial stressors were associated with worse menopause symptoms and well-being decades after the initial report.
These results highlight the long-lasting influence of adverse experiences on women’s physical and mental health, and emphasise the importance of past history of psychosocial stressors when considering the health of women in midlife.
“This study provides additional evidence to support the link between adversity earlier in life with worse menopause symptoms and poorer well-being in midlife women. Additional study is needed to better understand the effect of cumulative exposure to chronic and repeated stress on the health of women in midlife and beyond,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.
NAMS is North America’s leading nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy ageing.
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