We’ve all heard that smoking can increase your risk of lung disease. But new research shows that reproductive hormones may also play a role, especially for women.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow obstruction and other breathing-related problems, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 million Americans live with COPD, and it affects far more women than men.
Specifically, women tend to develop severe COPD at a younger age than men, and cases of COPD associated with nonsmoking are more likely to be found in women. For this reason, researchers believe that female hormones may play a role in this discrepancy, but until recently, previous research in this area has been limited.
However, a new study published in the journal rib cageUniversity of Queensland researchers pooled data from more than 850,000 women in 12 countries using 27 observational studies to determine the potential link between various reproductive factors and the development of COPD. I checked the relevance.
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The women’s health status was monitored for an average of 11 years throughout the study, during which time 10,737 developed COPD. And these cases appear to be related to women’s reproductive health.
First, the age at which a woman started menstruating was a significant predictor of her risk of developing COPD. This created a U-shaped curve for her, increasing her risk of COPD during both early and late periods. Those who started menstruating before age 11 were 17% more likely to develop COPD, while those who started menstruating after age 16 had a 24% higher risk.
Women with children were significantly more likely to develop the disease than women without children, as were women who experienced infertility or miscarriage.
Early menopause (before age 40) was also associated with a 69% higher risk of COPD than those who experienced menopause between the ages of 50 and 51. In contrast, those who experienced menopause after age 54 had a 21% higher risk of COPD. Percentage reduction in risk of developing the disease.
“The overall effect of estrogen may vary depending on timing,” the authors wrote to explain their results. “Longer-term or higher cumulative exposure to estrogen during early or mid-reproductive stages has negative effects on the lungs, increasing the risk of COPD in women who have early menarche or who have multiple births.
“In later stages, estrogen may be protective from an early age at menopause or perimenopause. [ovary removal] (indicating short exposure to estrogen) was associated with a higher risk of COPD. ”
However, despite the large number of participants, these findings are purely observational and do not prove that estrogen exposure can cause COPD. Additionally, the authors point out that a variety of other factors can also increase the risk of COPD, including autoimmune diseases, air pollution, and low body weight.
Although further research is needed to confirm these associations, this study sheds light on how our reproductive history can impact our overall health and supports women’s health. provide new insights to healthcare professionals.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, finding common ground and finding connections.
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