Occupational hazards and the onset of natural menopause

• Published in: Maturitas 2023-01, Vol.167, p.46-52
• Main Authors: Ma, Linjuan, Qi, Tongyun, Zhang, Yue, Huang, Yizhou, Li, Saisai, Ying, Qian, Jiang, Zhaoqiang, Li, Chunming, Chen, Peiqiong, Xu, Wenxian, Lan, Yibing, Chu, Ketan, Lou, Jianlin, Yu, Wenlan, Zhou, Jianhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormal workload; Age at natural menopause; Cadmium; Noise; Occupational hazards; Reproductive aging
• ISSN: 0378-5122; 1873-4111
• DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.08.012

•Menopause is a turning point in the reproductive life span and in physical aging.•Abnormal workloads and exposure to aromatic compounds and excessive noise were the three occupational hazards most frequently self-reported by participants in this survey of Chinese working women.•Occupational noise might be a risk factor for accelerating the onset of menopause. To identify occupational hazards associated with earlier onset of natural menopause. A national cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the reproductive health of Chinese female workers. The final sample size was 17,948. Participants completed a self-report instrument that recorded working conditions, chemical and physical agents in the occupational environment, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, reproductive history, and occupational information. A Cox regression model was used to examine the association between each occupational hazard and onset of menopause. Abnormal workload (19.31 %), aromatic compounds (7.95 %), and noise (24.94 %) were the three most frequently self-reported occupational hazards in the three categories of working conditions, chemical agents, and physical agents, respectively. Abnormal workload (HR = 1.133, p = 0.038), noise (HR = 1.233, p