Hormonal and cultural correlates of physical discomforts during the menopausal transition
Menopause is a biologic marker of aging common to all women. The association between local ecologies and hormone levels in women of reproductive age is well established (Ellison 1994; Nuñez de la Mora et al. 2007): women who live in a nutrient-poor environment tend to have lower levels of reproductive hormone than women who mature in richer environments. There also are differences in how women experience menopause across populations and cultures (Obermeyer and Sievert 2007; Sievert et al. 2007). Are these two findings associated?