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May 23, 2024Persistently irregular menstrual cycles significantly elevate women's risk for cardiometabolic conditions such as heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and diabetes, according to extensive research by the Apple Women’s Health Study AWHS. This study med at exploring evidence about polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS, a common hormonal disorder, irregular menstrual cycles, and their impact on cardiometabolic risk. However, researchers discovered that even women without PCOSthose with irregular periods who took more than five years to establish regularity or those who used hormones for regular cycle managementfaced higher risks.
The study published in JAMA Network Open on May 3 was conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and Apple collaboration team focusing on advancing women's health through AWHS. The lead researchers were Zifan Wang, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Environmental Health in Harvard Chan School, and Shruthi Mahalingah, co-principal investigator of AWHS and assistant professor at environmental, reproductive, and women’s health department.
Prior studies have identified links between irregular menstrual cycles and cardiometabolic conditions but lacked clear evidence around PCOS impact. This research addressed this gap by examining the self-reported menstrual patterns and cardiometabolic conditions in 60,789 female participants who enrolled in AWHS from November 2019 to December 2022. Among them, 12.3 had been diagnosed with PCOS, while 26.3 experienced a prolonged time for menstrual regularity more than five years since their first period. A smaller subset of participants 25,399 on current menstrual cycles; among them, 25.6 reported having irregular periods.
The study found that both PCOS and irregular menstrual cycles were associated with a variety of cardiometabolic conditions. PCOS was linked to obesity, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases including arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke, among others. Irregular menstrual cycles also predicted the onset of these conditions.
Shruthi Mahalingah commented on the findings saying: “These data suggest that irregular menstrual cycles may predict cardiometabolic risk in US-based individuals.” The researchers propose further investigation into this relationship to improve public health policies for women's health and offer personalized prevention strategies based on menstrual cycle patterns.
Read the study here: Irregular Cycles, Ovulatory Disorders, and Cardiometabolic Conditions in a US-Based Digital Cohort
The research team recomms awareness of irregular menstrual cycles as potential indicators for cardiometabolic risks. They also suggest incorporating this knowledge into public health campgns targeted at women's wellness.
Image Source: iStockNataliia Nesterenko
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