[Predictive factors for determination of menopausal age]

In western Europe the average age at menopause is 52 years. This means that a woman spends approximately 30 years of her life in the postmenopausal status. The possibility to predict the actual age AT menopause would have major implications for family planning, sterility treatment and for the decision to apply HRT. There are numerous associations between socio-economic factors and the age at menopause. A positive correlation has been shown between cigarette smoking and menopausal age. Furthermore several lifestyle factors have an influence on the onset of menopause. However it is not clear in how far generative and socio-economic factors such as marital status interfere with ovarian function.