Menopause at 30 for Millions in Poverty

[marmar]

from the Times(UK), via CommonDreams:


Published on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 by the Times / UK
Menopause at 30 for Millions in Poverty
Doctors identify malnutrition link
Problem greater in rural areas

by Jeremy Page

Millions of women in India are going through the menopause as young as 30 because of chronic malnutrition and poverty, according to a study by a prominent Indian think-tank.

The research suggests that almost one in five women in the country have gone through the menopause by the age of 41.

Malnutrition is believed to be a contributory factor, particularly in rural areas, although the study did not address the causes. Yesterday doctors called for further research into the condition.

The study, by the Institute for Social and Economic Change, based in Bangalore, found that 3.1 per cent of Indian women — about 17 million — reached menopause between the ages of 30 and 34. Eight per cent ( 44 million) are in menopause by the time they are 39, the institute’s study showed, while 19 per cent have gone through “the change of life” by the age of 41.

Medical experts say that natural menopause, when the ovaries stop producing oestrogen, occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, with the global mean being 51. Premature menopause is defined as the cessation of menstruation before the age of 40 and affects an estimated 1 per cent of women worldwide.

“It is very clear that a significant proportion of women in India are reaching menopause prematurely,” wrote Dr T. S. Syamala and Dr M. Sivakami in the study, which has been presented to the Indian Parliament. “This is significant because most health programmes in India focus on women of reproductive age,” Dr Syamala told The Times. “It is high time that we started to focus on post-menopausal women because of increasing life expectancy in India and because of the health risks associated with premature menopause.”

The study was based on a National Family Health Survey carried out in 1998 and 1999 and examined a sample of more than 90,000 married women aged between 15 and 49 across 26 Indian states. It did not examine the physiological reasons for the higher rates of premature menopause in India — where the average menopausal age is 44.3 years. .....(more)

The rest of the article is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines07/0123-03.htm

[demnan]

1. This might be nature's way too

of naturally cutting population growth through nutrients provided. India won't be the only ones though. As food becomes more and more scarce women will become less fertile and be fertile for a shorter span in their lives. This helps a woman sustain the calories she can get for her own life, as in nature, only if there is abundant food will the population grow.

[BonnieJW]

2. That makes sense.

It might be nature's way of correcting overpopulation.

[cap]

3. it's compounded by social mores...

poor Indian women put food on the table for everyone else first... and they eat whatever is leftover, after everyone has finished eating. So they are literally starving themselves for the sake of their families.