Work

Adverse childhood experiences and age at menopause: a cross-sectional analysis in the UK Biobank and US Health and Retirement Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) represent a pervasive global health burden, yet evidence regarding their association with age at menopause remains inconsistent and largely derived from single-cohort studies. This cross-national study aimed to investigate the association between ACE and age at menopause across two large-scale cohorts. Methods This cross-sectional analysis included 34,872 women from the UK Biobank and 5,163 from the Health and Retirement Study. Cumulative ACE scores were derived using validated instruments. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the associations of ACE with age at menopause (continuous) and early menopause (< 40, < 45, and < 48 years). Subgroup analyses examined effect modification across socioeconomic and behavioral strata. Results Higher ACE scores were significantly associated with earlier menopause in both cohorts (UKB: β = -0.074, 95% CI: -0.116 to -0.032; HRS: β = -0.254, 95% CI: -0.372 to -0.136) and with increased odds of early menopause, demonstrating a significant dose-response relationship. Direct maltreatment drove the association in UKB, whereas parental death was the predominant driver in HRS. The associations remained consistent across most subgroups, with area-level deprivation potentially intensifying the effects. Conclusion ACE is consistently associated with earlier menopause across two national cohorts. These findings underscore the enduring reproductive consequences of childhood adversity and suggest that routine ACE screening—particularly in socioeconomically deprived areas—may help identify women at heightened risk for accelerated reproductive aging and facilitate targeted preventive interventions.

Source: BMC Women s Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12905-026-05017-6