[Mean age of menopause onset in Bulgarian women]

The age of menopause in women is a key point, because early menopause is associated with increased risk for many diseases. The purpose of this study was to collect data on age of menopause in Bulgarian women and to detect possible changes in it. 6017 women aged 50 years and over were included, 5363 of them were postmenopausal. Mean age of menopause in the whole study group was 49.3 years. In younger menopausal women (age 51-59 yrs.) mean age of menopause was 47.7 yrs., whereas in elderly women (71-79 yrs.) it was 49.2 yrs. This shift down of the menopausal transition is due also to the increasing part of women with early or premature menopause, including iatrogenic causes. The main consequence is the "growing younger" of many common and socially important diseases among Bulgarian women, which require active prevention.