A life course approach to menopause: what it is and why it is important

This talk was delivered by Professor Rebecca Hardy, Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics at Loughborough University, in June 2022. The talk discussed a life course approach to menopause.
The subject of menopause, its symptoms and treatments has become a more prevalent topic in recent years. In this NCSEM online lecture series we myth bust and outline what the evidence says around aspects of menopause.
A life course approach seeks to understand how earlier life experiences and exposures influence menopause and subsequent health, and therefore it offers potential for early intervention and prevention of menopause symptoms. In this talk Professor Hardy highlights how reproductive characteristics, from starting periods to menopause, are inter-related, and how health, socioeconomic position, and lifestyle in earlier life are associated with timing of menopause, menopausal symptoms, and the decision to take hormone therapy. She then outlines why these prior differences between women matter in understanding the relationship between menopause and later life health.

[@charlenejefferies9109]

I love hearing your in-depth research on the topic. Thank you so much. I'm interested to find out if HRT would be a good option or not... such a complex situation. Thanks again.