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To determine whether four loci recently found to be associated with variation in the onset age of normal menopause are also risk factors for early menopause (EM).

They tested for the four menopause-associated genetic variants in the approximately 2000 women with EM (defined as before 46 years of age) from the Breakthrough Generations Study, compared with 2000 matched controls. 

The study found that all four genetic variants significantly increased the chance of having EM, with each allele influencing menopausal age by between 0.7 and 11 months, and that the effects were increased when risk alleles were combined in an individual.

The researchers conclude that their results suggest that normal menopause and EM have a common mechanism, and offer the prospect of the development of predictive tests for EM at a much earlier age than is currently possible. 

Since approximately one in 20 women starts their menopause before the age of 46, and a woman’s ability to conceive decreases some 10 years before this, an early predictive test could be a great benefit to reproductive decision making. Current predictive tests are only effective immediately prior to menopause, when natural conception is already unlikely. The predictive power of the four variants in this study is limited, at around 60%, but as the study authors suggest, this should improve as further influencing alleles are discovered. It is unlikely that a completely accurate test will be possible because menopausal age is a complex trait influenced by many genetic and environmental factors, but since it is also highly heritable this research could lead to an inexpensive test that women whose mothers experienced EM could take in early adult life to determine whether they too are at high risk.