Genes Help Set Menopause Timing

     This article explained how genes can have an impact on the timing of menopause. These genetic variations will play a role in predicting what age a women will go through menopause. Menopause usually occurs in women aged anywhere from 45-50. But, you also have a small percentage who go through premature menopause or other individuals who had a procedure done that stopped themselves from producing eggs. This is the period when a women stops menstruating which is the end of their reproductive period.
     In the new study, researchers from 177 institutions worldwide analyzed the DNA of about 70,00 women of European ancestry. They found more than 50 genetic variations inlcuding 18 previously discovered ones that seem to be linked to the age a women reaches menopause (Dotinga, 2015).  They stated that the primary reason to women losing eggs, which leads to menopause was because of damage to the DNA within those eggs. As more research develops and more genes are discover in the process the scientists will have a better idea on when a women enters menopause. The most interesting thing about this article to me was them mentioning that a better understanding of the genes in the future can actually lead to ways of delaying menopause and increasing reproductive life in women.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2015/09/28/genes-help-set-menopause-timing-study

http://www.reproductivefacts.org/uploadedFiles/ASRM_Content/News_and_Publications/Journals_and_Newsletters/Menopausal_Medicine/2011/MenMed_0511.pdf