Epidemiologic Study of the Late Reproductive Years

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This is a continuation of a prospective cohort study of ovarian aging. The study focuses on hormone dynamics and associated symptoms as premenopausalwomen enter and move through stages in the transition to menopause. The specific aims are to: 1)) Compare hormone levels and longitudinal trends between African American and Caucasian women; 2) Identify how within-woman trends of the study hormones (estradiol, FSH, LH, Inhibin B, DHEAS, and testosterone) and cofactors such as BMI, race, age, symptoms, et al predict the progression through the transition; 3) Identify associations of hormonedynamics with physical and behavioral symptoms that occur with ovarian aging and identify racial differences in these factors; 4) Identify associations of genetic polymorphisms with levels and longitudinal trends and with menopausal symptoms. Hormone evaluations and a battery of physical and behavioral assessmentsare collected annually on days 1-6 of two consecutive menstrual cycles or 1 month apart in non-cycling women. Continuation of this cohort study will provide new information on hormone dynamics and their influences on menopausal symptoms through the full menopausal transition.- ¿¿¿¿ ......... More than 80% of U.S. women experience physical or behavioral symptoms around menopause,with varying degrees of severity and disruption in their functioning, and many of these women seek medical relief for distressing symptoms. The lack of understanding of the contributors to these symptoms and their associations with hormonal factors of ovarian aging is a significant health care problem. Increased understanding of the changes associated with reproductive aging and whether there are racial differences in these changes will lead to better preventive and therapeutic strategies to reduce the short and long term morbidity of women's mid-life and postmenopausalyears.