Tag Archives: menopause

Reproductive History and Longevity

Reproductive History and Longevity: What Epigenetic Clocks Reveal About Women’s Health

October 22, 2026

Menopause Awareness Month is observed every October, a global initiative that aims to increase understanding of menopause, highlight symptoms, and promote supportive resources for those experiencing the transition. This October, a newly published study is shedding light on how reproductive history – particularly menopause timing – relates to biological aging measured by DNA methylation clocks. The study adds to research exploring the relationship between reproductive health and biological aging, raising questions about how these findings may eventually inform women’s health assessment.

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Making the Most of Menopause: Aging and Autoimmunity in Women

May 15, 2026

The relationship between menopause and autoimmune disease is a women’s health issue that can no longer be ignored. Autoimmune diseases affect women far more often than men, with women accounting for approximately 80% of cases. Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause and menopause — particularly declining estrogen levels — are associated with an increase in certain immune cells and antibodies that may worsen or contribute to disease onset.

Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome, and psoriatic arthritis are among the autoimmune conditions linked to menopause. Declining estrogen levels during this transition can increase inflammation and reduce the effectiveness of immune regulation. Although hormone therapy use in postmenopausal women has been associated with a higher incidence of certain autoimmune conditions, it has also emerged as an important tool for symptom management and improving quality of life when appropriately monitored.

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Destigmatizing Hormone Replacement Therapy, Improving Women’s Health

January 23, 2026

An evolution in menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is officially underway. New interpretations of safety data from randomized trials and observational studies have resulted in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s decision to remove the class-wide black box warnings for many systemic estrogen and combined estrogen-progestogen (EPT) products, and experts in women’s health are advocating to remove the barriers and improve access to MHT.

Life-Changing Medication

Throughout the human body, hormones support physical, mental, and metabolic health. As hormone levels decline with age, the risk of arthritis, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic conditions rises, and many women experience the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, including hot flashes, insomnia, and brain fog. HRT provides women with bioidentical estrogen and sometimes progesterone, but a controversial Women’s Health Initiative study in 2002 suggested that the therapies raise the risk of breast cancer, putting an end to HRT’s widespread use in the U.S.

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