The Evolutionary Ecology of Menopause
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Epidemiology and Public Health
Abstract
The project will focus on the menopause and post-reproductive lifespan in humans, and trying to understand whether the variation we see in symptoms, timing, and post-menopausal behaviour can be explained by an evolutionary framework.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Yvonne Kelly (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Megan Arnot (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000347/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2024 | |||
| 1910304 | Studentship | ES/P000347/1 | 01/10/2017 | 18/06/2021 | Megan Arnot |
| Description | So far, I have firstly found that - within a data set from rural China - women who live away from their husband experience less severe menopause symptoms. We think that this is because women who live away from their husbands live in large matrilineal households (where relatedness and kinship is traced down the female line), in which there is little conflict amongst the residents, and large amounts of female autonomy. This is in contrast with the women who live with their husbands, in which they live under a patrilineal system, where there is more conflict and decreased female autonomy. Therefore, I think menopause symptom severity is somewhat contingent upon the amount of stress and social support a woman has. My second key finding is that women who have more sex enter the menopause later. This may be because, at a certain age, women experience a 'trade-off' between continued reproduction and stopping early, based on the likelihood of becoming pregnant. Ovulation is a costly process due to the energy it requires, and because it decreased immune function. Therefore, if a woman is not having sex (and not going to become pregnant), there may be little point in investing energy into ovulation, and it might be better off using it elsewhere. |
| Exploitation Route | This research has been picked up by the media, and stimulated conversations about the menopause. The menopause in the past has been something women don't speak about, and my research has contributed to igniting dialogue about the menopause. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | I've been working with a company called Zinc, which funds companies aiming to improve health in later life. Some of these start-ups have been meeting with me to work out how they include the menopause within their company. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Description | Blog piece for journal |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Blog for Ecology and Evolution about a recent publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://ecologyandevolution.blog/2019/11/06/menopause-with-the-in-laws-why-living-with-your-husbands... |
| Description | Conversation piece |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Conversation piece about recent publication, which looked at menopause symptom severity and residence pattern. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/how-you-experience-the-menopause-may-have-a-lot-to-do-with-your-family-1... |
| Description | Conversation piece |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Conversation piece about recent publication, which found that women who had sex more often experienced a later menopause. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/women-who-have-more-sex-may-enter-the-menopause-later-new-research-12982... |
| Description | Interview for news (BBC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with BBC World News regarding recent publication on sexual frequency and age of menopause. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview for podcast (ReachMD) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Interview with ReachMD for a podcast. Based on research from a recent publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview for radio (ABC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with the ABC (Australia) about a recent publication looking at age of menopause and sexual frequency |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview for radio (BBC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview on BBC Radio 4 about recent publication looking at sexual frequency and age of menopause |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview for radio (newstalk) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview with talkradio (Ireland) about recent publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview for radio (talkRadio) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview on women's hour on talkRadio about a recent publication looking at age of menopause and sexual frequency |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |