Work

Associations of parabens and age at natural menopause in women in the USA: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Menopause is linked to declining ovarian function and adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Early menopause exacerbates these risks, underscoring the need to identify modifiable risk factors. Prior studies associate parabens with altered ovarian reserve markers and ovarian ageing in animal models, yet their relationship with natural menopause onset remains unexplored. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 2668 female participants aged 18 years and older from the NHANES 2005-2016, excluding those with missing paraben measurements, hysterectomy/ovariectomy or critical variable data. Exposure was assessed via creatinine-corrected urinary concentrations of four parabens [butyl paraben (BuP), ethyl paraben (EtP), methyl paraben (MeP), propyl paraben (PrP)], each categorised by tertiles. The primary outcome was natural menopause onset, defined by self-report (no menstrual periods for ≥12 months due to menopause) per NHANES protocol. Weighted Cox regression models were used to examine associations between each paraben and natural menopause onset. Subgroup analyses were conducted by smoking status, alcohol use and oral contraceptive use. RESULTS: Natural menopause occurred in 1043 women in the total population. Compared with women with the lowest tertile of EtP, women in the second tertile of EtP (HR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01-1.57) and the highest tertile of EtP (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.01-1.64) was associated with an increased risk of earlier onset of natural menopause. However, all BuP, MeP and PrP levels were not statistically associated with the onset of natural menopause. The results of subgroup analysis indicated that EtP, MeP and PrP were all associated with the earlier onset of natural menopause in women who did not used oral contraceptives. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggested an association between higher EtP levels and an earlier onset of natural menopause in general U.S. women. The findings of our study necessitate further prospective epidemiologic research to validate.

Source: Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2025.2570086

Authors: Liping Wang, Xinrui Luo, Mulan Ren, Dongmei Sun, Yan Wang

Institutions: Southeast University, Zhongda Hospital Southeast University, Southeast University

Language: English

Topic: Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals

Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,390