Reproductive history, menopause and cardiometabolic health in women

A multicountry analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID11179709
AuthorsWilhemina Quarpong (0000-0002-1470-8398, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, corresponding author), Suchitra Chandrasekaran (0000-0002-5964-1190, Emory University), K M Venkat Narayan (0000-0001-8621-5405, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), KM Venkat Narayan (Emory University), Usha Ramakrishnan (0000-0003-1694-1238, Nutrition and Health Sciences, Laney Graduate School, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA), Nikhil Tandon (0000-0003-4604-1986, All India Institute of Medical Sciences), Shivani A Patel (0000-0003-0082-5857, Emory University)
Year2025
Volume79
Issue11
Pages858-865
Publication date2025-11-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0143-005X • E-ISSN: 1470-2738
PublisherBMJ (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1136/jech-2025-223994
PMID40784744
OpenAlexW4413100785
LanguageEN
References cited27

BACKGROUND: We investigated the association of reproductive history with cardiometabolic health in ethnically diverse women across five continents. METHODS: We pooled cross-sectional survey data on non-pregnant women aged 30-49 years from 15 countries. Multilevel models were used to examine associations between menopausal status, age at first birth (≥20 vs <20 years), parity (1, 2, 3, 4+ vs 0 births) and cardiometabolic indicators: body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and fasting blood glucose (FBG), adjusting for age and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: ) and higher SBP (0.35, 95% CI 0.18, 0.52 mm Hg). In parous premenopausal women (n=332 569), later age at first birth was associated with lower BMI (-0.33, 95% CI -0.36 to -0.30 kg/m2) and lower SBP (-0.59, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.48 mm Hg); higher parity was associated with higher BMI (0.11-0.14 kg/m2 for 1-3 births) and lower SBP (-0.77 to -2.04 mm Hg for 1-4+ births). Among parous postmenopausal women (n=55 788), later age at first birth was associated with lower BMI (-0.15, 95% CI -0.23 to -0.07 kg/m2), lower SBP (-0.38, 95% CI -0.67 to -0.08 mm Hg) and higher FBG (2.08, 95% CI 0.08 to 4.11 mg/dL); higher parity was associated with lower SBP (-1.60 to -3.06 mm Hg for 1-4+ births). CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of menopausal status, later age at first birth was associated with lower BMI and SBP, while higher parity was associated with lower SBP. Reproductive history has implications for cardiometabolic risk in women across diverse settings

Blood pressure · Body mass index · Cross-sectional study · Gynecology · Menopause · Obstetrics · Parity (physics) · Birth, Development, and Health · Demography · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments · Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies

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