Variations in the prevalence of premature and early menopause in low and middle-income regions: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine differences in premature and early menopause across various regions in low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: Data for 55 LMICs from the Demographic and Health Surveys (2013-2023) were classified into nine regions. Proportions of premature (aged <40 years) and early (aged <45 years) menopause were calculated. Logistic regressions adjusted for covariates were also run.

Results: The proportion of women in premature menopause ranged from 1.58% in the European and Eastern Mediterranean regions to 6.87% in Southern Africa. For early menopause, proportions ranged from 4.92% in the Eastern Mediterranean region to 15.21% in the Americas. The Eastern Mediterranean region had systematic lower odds across menopause categories, even after the adjustments for relevant covariates.

Conclusion: Significant variation exists in the proportion of the different age at menopause categories within LMIC regions. Higher proportions of premature and early menopause were found in all LMIC regions compared to those reported in current literature from high-income countries. A global health perspective on menopause is urgently needed, especially in relation to the increased disease risks with early and premature menopause, such as cardiovascular disease.