Like Mother, Like Daughter: Is Menopause Hereditary?
The only story I can share about my own mom’s menopause is pretty tame. I remember she went through a span of time when she’d walk from room to room asking everyone why they’d turned the thermostat up so high. Her face would be flushed and she’d be more than a little irritable about living with people who all wanted it “too damn hot inside.” My sister and I would sometimes exchange a knowing glance and even chuckle under our breath about her Irish temper.
Deep down, though, her menopause left me with an abiding hope that I would be as lucky when my own turn came. And I was. Yes, my periods got less regular. It was harder to control my weight. My face lost its elasticity, fine lines appeared, and I needed to use a good moisturizer daily. But in the grand scheme of things, I had it very easy.
But was it luck, or deeply embedded genetic code?
In other words, are genetic factors in menopause a real thing? Over the past 20 years, many studies have explored this question and while it’s always best to state the obvious – that every woman is unique – it does appear that each one is handed a powerful set of genetic tendencies when it comes to menopause.
That’s great news if your mom went effortlessly through “the change.” But what if you come from a long line of women who suffered from hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, bloating, insomnia, and miserable mood swings? Are you destined for the same grueling experiences? Luckily, research data indicates that by making some specific lifestyle changes, you can positively impact your own midlife experience.
In this blog, we’ll examine the role that genes play in menopause and answer some of the most common questions surrounding this important time in a woman’s life, including:
Exactly what is menopause, and how do you know when it has started?
Do genes determine the onset age of a woman’s menopause?
Are inherited menopause symptoms a common phenomenon?
Can certain lifestyle habits negatively impact your menopause?
Will specific adjustments to daily routine improve your menopause?
Exactly what is menopause, and how do you know when it has started?
That’s a hard question to answer. Technically, menopause1 is defined as the point at which a woman has not had a menstrual period for one full year. In the US, the average age for menopause is 52. Realize, though, that no matter when a woman reaches that marker, her body has actually spent the preceding 5 years (or longer) gearing up for the grand finale. This phase leading up to menopause is called perimenopause2.
If they’re sensitive to their body’s monthly cycles, most women can tell when things begin to change. The elaborate interplay of their reproductive hormones (primarily estrogen and progesterone) gradually weakens. As a result, their periods often become irregular, shorter, and noticeably heavier or lighter. They may skip periods completely for a few months, only to be surprised when another one arrives.
That helps explain why women in perimenopause can accidentally get pregnant. Maybe they’ve gone a number of months without a period. Assuming they’ve reached menopause, they stop using birth control – and sometimes are several weeks pregnant by the time they realize that they accidentally conceived.
Do genes determine the onset age of a woman’s menopause?
This is among the new discoveries of modern reproductive research. The short answer is yes, a woman’s genes play a major role in predicting when she will experience the onset of menopause3.. In fact, the relationship between menopause age and genetics is so strong that your mom’s age at the onset of her menopause predicts when your own menopause will begin.
For example, if your mother and other close family relatives experienced early menopause4, you very well may follow suit. One recent study found that if a woman’s mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother reached menopause before age 46, then she is six times more likely to have an early menopause, too.
If more than one female relative on your mother’s side had early menopause, the risk jumps to 12 times more likely. Other studies have seen a dramatic link between mothers and daughters when it comes to premature menopause (occurring before a woman reaches age 40).
And what about the influence of your paternal family tree? Researchers have recently started to explore the role of paternal family history and menopause onset. It certainly makes intuitive sense that they could contribute some level of genetic effect. After all, we inherit a copy of every gene from each parent. So, it may be very informative to explore the experience of paternal female relatives. We just don’t know yet.
Are inherited menopause symptoms a common phenomenon?
Again, research suggests a link between the severity and range of your menopause symptoms and those experienced by your mother and maternal grandmother. An in-depth Australian study finds that 69% of women surveyed reported their menopause symptoms to be similar to their mothers’5.
In particular, there are studies that find hot flashes and night sweats6 are highly influenced by genes, and passed along from one generation of women to the next. So let your doctor know if you are one of the 8 in every 10 women who deal with these bothersome symptoms. Safe and effective prescription drugs are available to help control the problems.
Research also finds that about half of all women experience perimenopausal and/or menopausal depression, and there appears to be a genetic link to the phenomenon. So, if your mother fought emotional turbulence during her own menopause, be careful to tune in to yourself emotionally during this time in your life, and seek support if you feel it might be helpful.
Can certain lifestyle habits negatively impact your menopause?
Absolutely! Studies find a definite lifestyle impact on menopause. Bad choices correlate to tougher menopause. And none of the culprits are likely to shock you.
Smoking. On average, women who smoke report a more difficult experience with hot flashes and night sweats during menopause. They also tend to experience an earlier onset of menopause7. This matters in light of studies that link later menopause onset to longer life expectancy8.
Weight. Women who are overweight9 or clinically obese also tend to have a harder menopause, with more severe hot flashes and night sweats.
Alcohol and Caffeine. Even moderate consumption of either has been seen to trigger hot flashes.
Sweets. Beware of any food that raises blood sugar (including chocolate and sweets) because they can quickly worsen menopause symptoms, too.
Admittedly, it can be hard to quit smoking, lose weight, avoid alcohol along with caffeinated soft drinks, and skip the joys of a yummy dessert. On the other hand, a miserable menopause may be just the motivation you need to rethink some of your less-than-wonderful habits.
Will specific adjustments to daily routine improve your menopause?
Since you can’t exchange your genes, it might be smart to take a few calculated steps toward ensuring that when menopause happens, you’re prepared. Experts say you’ll be likely to fare better if you follow these six rules for managing menopause symptoms naturally:
1. Talk with your mom if you can. Ask her about the menopause symptoms she experienced. When did they start? And does she remember anything that made them better (or worse)? If you can’t sit down with your mom, maybe you have an aunt or other female relative who can contribute valuable information to your menopause family tree. Any information is better than none.
2. Speak with your healthcare provider about menopause. And don’t wait for your periods to stop before you broach the subject. Your early 40s is not too early to start the conversation. An open dialogue before menopause will provide a reproductive health baseline for you and your provider to use over time. As perimenopause signs and genetics interact (creating physical and emotions changes), you confer about how you're starting to feel different. Share any genetic factors you consider relevant. If your mom had a hard time with menopause, the two of you may decide to intervene sooner with lifestyle changes and maybe even initiate hormone replacement10.
3. Protect Your Intimate Health. Vaginal dryness is one of the biochemical realities of menopause. As your estrogen levels progressively decline, the silky moisture your body once made effortlessly starts to decrease—sometimes making everyday life uncomfortable, and sexual activity downright painful. Use an all-natural feminine lubricant for relief. Look for a simple formulation, without a long list of chemical ingredients you can't even pronounce.
4. Get serious about exercise. Research going back to the early 2000s finds that working out makes a real difference. Today’s recommended regimen is at least 30 minutes of exercise, at least 3 times a week to decrease menopause symptoms. In contrast, research finds that symptoms worsen in women who choose not to exercise during menopause. Data finds that any form of exercise produces benefits. The point is to move in whatever way you enjoy, and don’t quit.
5. Supplements may help. It’s hard to make recommendations because virtually all popular herbs and vitamins get mixed reviews. Nevertheless, you may want to speak with your doctor or nurse practitioner about an omega-3 supplement, dong quai, flax, black cohosh, evening primrose oil, red clover, and/or sea buckthorn. They are all recommended for relief of menopause symptoms, and each has its own fan club.
6. Make the time to unwind every day. The normal hormone changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause can contribute to stress, worry, and irritability. So incorporate some kind of structured relaxation into your day. Mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery – they’re all good choices. And as little as two 20-minute sessions per day have been said to reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.
Maybe Menopause Is What We Expect It to Be
As I gathered my research and prepared to write this post about mother-daughter menopause experiences, I came across the story of a woman who suffered almost no discomfort during this time in her life. She credits her mom for that good fortune, but it isn’t biological heredity that she appreciates. It’s how she remembers her mother talking about her own experience, frequently saying that the best years of her life don’t start until after menopause. “So, I actually looked forward to it, and never had a single problem.”
My point is not to discredit the importance of genetics in the menopause experience. Nor do I discount the very real difficulties that some women endure during this life transition. But I do believe that the mind and spirit are extraordinarily powerful. Powerful enough, in fact, that our bodies tend to manifest what our invisible selves conjure for us.
So, it can’t hurt to stay positive, cherish our bodies during every phase of life, and genuinely care for ourselves. That just might help us stay happy and well.
Kate Vozoff is CEO of Amazing-Solutions, a Lamaze certified childbirth educator, and writer with special interests in holistic health.
Sources
1. What we know—and still-don’t know—about menopause. nih.medlineplus. Accessed November 29, 2024
2. Management of the Perimenopause. nih.gov. Accessed November 29, 2024
3. Genes and Menopause: Is the age you start menopause genetic? Healthandher.com Accessed November 30, 2024
4. Premature and Early Menopause. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed November 30, 2024
5. Genes and Menopause: Is the age you start menopause genetic? healthandher. Accessed November 30 9,2024
6. Is menopause hereditary? The genetic influence explained. The pocket doctor.org. Accessed November 15, 2024
7. Will my menopause be the same as my mother’s. Australian Menopause Society. Accessed November 15, 2024
8. Genetics play strong role in determining age of menopause and overall longevity. ScienceDaily. The North American Menopause Society. Accessed November 15, 2024
9. The reality of menopause weight gain. Mayoclinic.org. Accessed November 29, 20204.
10. Is Early Menopause Genetic? Bonafide. Menopause, Wellness. Accessed November 30, 2024
