@article{ref1,
title="Longitudinal study of the inception of perimenopause in relation to lifetime history of sexual or physical violence",
journal="Journal of epidemiology and community health",
year="2004",
author="Allsworth, Jenifer E. and Zierler, S. and Lapane, Kate L. and Krieger, Nancy and Hogan, Joseph W. and Harlow, B. L.",
volume="58",
number="11",
pages="938-943",
abstract="STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate of the extent to which violence over the life course accelerates the onset of perimenopause, as measured by menstrual changes. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Boston, Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS: 603 premenopausal women aged 36-45 years at baseline who completed a cross sectional survey on childhood and adult violence history. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Time to perimenopause, defined as time in months from baseline interview to a woman's report of (1) an absolute change of at least seven days in menstrual cycle length from baseline or subjective report of menstrual irregularity; (2) a change in menstrual flow amount or duration; or (3) cessation of periods for at least three months, whichever came first. MAIN RESULTS: Experience of abuse was associated with delayed onset of menstrual changes indicative of onset of perimenopause. Women reporting childhood or adolescent abuse entered perimenopause about 35% slower than women who reported no abuse (IRR(adj) = 0.65, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.95) after adjusting for age, age at menarche, ever live birth, ability to maintain living standard, smoking, BMI, and depression. There was a similar association among women who reported first abuse during adulthood (IRR(adj) = 0.72, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.80). These findings persisted when the cohort was restricted to non-depressed women (childhood/adolescent IRR(adj) = 0.57, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.90; adulthood IRR(adj) = 0.63, 95% CI 0.23 to 1.77). CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first longitudinal analysis of the timing of perimenopause to show an association with a history of physical or sexual abuse. Further study of the relation between violence and reproductive aging is needed.",
language="",
issn="0143-005X",
doi="10.1136/jech.2003.017160",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2003.017160"
}