Abstract
Background and aims: Menopause is a natural phase in a woman’s life that can be influenced by various factors. This study aimed to identify the age at natural menopause and its associated factors within a large-scale, population-based cohort in Iran. Methods: In this study, a subset of data collected during the enrollment phase of the Shahrekord Cohort Study was utilized. General information, along with factors related to fertility and childbearing, was gathered using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using independent t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation tests, and a linear regression model. Results: Among the participants of the Shahrekord Cohort Study, 2,141 were menopausal women. The mean The mean age at natural menopause was 49.30 ± 5.9 years, while the mean age at unnatural menopause was 45.26 ± 7 years. Factors such as job status, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension, ischemic heart disease, number of pregnancies and live births, breastfeeding history and duration (in months), history of infertility treatment, contraceptive use, use of contraceptive pills, use of hormone replacement therapy, and age at oophorectomy were found to influence the age of menopause. However, after adjusting for confounding variables, none of these factors were significantly associated with natural menopause. Conclusion: The mean age at natural menopause observed in this study was consistent with findings from other studies conducted in Iran. Furthermore, after adjusting for confounding variables, none of the examined factors were significantly associated with natural menopause.