Entering menopause increases the risk of first episode depression
Q Does entering menopause increase the risk of depression in women without a history of depression?
METHODS
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Follow up period:
Six years.
Setting:
Seven communities in Boston, Massachusetts, USA; time period not stated.
People:
643 pre-menopausal women aged 36–45 years old from the Harvard Study of Moods and Cycles who had never had major depression (DSM-IV) were enrolled. Final analyses only included 420 of these women, who completed the last follow up interview, did not become menopausal, did not have vasomotor symptoms without meeting criteria for peri-menopause, and were not taking oral contraceptives.
Risk factors:
Menopausal status (pre-menopausal v peri-menopausal) determined by self report changes in menstrual cycle. Peri-menopause was defined as any of the following occurring in the period before the follow up interview: skipped periods, a …
