Clinical and Gynaecological Determinants of Menopause Symptom Severity in Kwara State, Nigeria

Background A number of factors are known to predict how menopause symptoms are perceived by women in different cultures. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between the gynaecological and medical histories of middle belt Nigerian women and the severity of their menopausal symptoms. Method Women with natural menopause between age 40 and 60 years were randomly evaluated for menopause symptoms using Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire. The total MRS scores were correlated with certain medical and gynaecological parameters using Pearson’s Bivariate Correlate while logistic regression analysis was used to isolate independent factors. Result Three hundred and eighty-five women responded for the study. Their mean age was 51.3±0.3 years. The mean MRS score was 14.02±0.44 and 40% of the women studied had severe symptoms on the rating scale while others were mild. Age, menstrual cycle length, age at first delivery, diastolic BP and mean arterial pressure were significantly correlated with the total MRS score but only the age showed an independent impact on regression analysis. History of breast problem, presence of diabetes and history of contraceptive use were also positively associated with menopause severity. Conclusion The medical and gynaecological histories of women play a significant role in determining how they perceive menopausal symptoms and cannot be ignored in their evaluation.