Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026
A Method to Study the Impact of Chemically-induced Ovarian Failure on Exercise Capacity and Cardiac Adaptation in Mice
Published on: April 7, 2014
Seasonal onset of the menopause
A Cagnacci1, F S Pansini, A Bacchi-Modena
1Dipartimento Misto Materno Infantile, Unità di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Policlinico di Modena, via del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy. cagnacci@unimore.it
Objectives:
A seasonal rhythm of reproduction is evident in humans. Herein it was investigated whether also the cessation of woman's fertile life follows a seasonal rhythm.
Methods:
A retrospective study was performed on 2436 women in postmenopause for more than 12 months, in our menopause centres. Time of menopause was stratified for month and season. The variation was compared to the seasonal rhythm of 14,310 conceptions.
Results:
The onset of menopause was more frequent (p<0.0001) in winter (32.5%) than in spring (20.8%), autumn (20.3%) and summer (26.2%), in which a minor peak was also observed (p<0.0001 vs. spring and autumn). The two peaks were temporally coincident with the transitions between the high to low and low to high rate of conceptions.
Conclusions:
The present data show that in women, like reproduction also the onset of menopause shows a seasonal modulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Menopause
01:22Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH release.
01:19The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual phase occurs from days 1 to 5 and involves the shedding of the stratum functionalis, as a uterine...
01:27Signs of Puberty
01:30Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
01:24Disorders of the Female Reproductive System