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27th August 2022
07:30am BST

"When the ovaries stop working due to menopause, they stop making a cocktail of hormones important for general health. Even in healthy women, it dramatically increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, cognitive decline, insomnia, osteoporosis, weight gain, arthritis -- those are medically established facts."
What researchers have discovered, is that, in fact, the age of menopause is also tied to longevity, and that studies show that women who have later menopause tend to live longer and have an enhanced ability to repair their DNA."
"But women with natural menopause before the age of 40 are twice as likely to die (early) compared with women going through natural menopause between the ages 50 to 54."
And so what if science could learn to slow the rate of ageing in ovaries?
"It would be a game changer, right?" says Garrison.
"Women would have parity and options in their reproductive choices and be empowered with control over their lives. And at the same time, we could delay the onset of these age-related diseases and hopefully extend life."
While extending fertility will be one outcome of the research in the field, scientists aren't trying to help people get pregnant naturally in their 50s, 60s and 70s, Dr Kara Goldman, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, explains.
"That would be a completely irresponsible goal and ultimately a shortsighted one. We're thinking about the bigger picture: The best way to prevent the health impact of menopause is to prolong the ovaries' natural functioning."Explore more on these topics: