The Effect of Cessation of Menstruation on Physical Health: A Study of Indian Women

Angad Singh , International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Dipti Govil, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Unit level data from NFHS-IV (2015-16) was analyzed to assess the association between morbidities and menstrual status of women and factors associated with it. Women were classified into three groups: currently menstruating, menopausal and hysterectomies. Bivariate, multivariate regression and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) techniques were used. The prevalence of selected morbidities i.e. hypertension, asthma, thyroid, cancer, obesity, heart diseases, and diabetes, was higher among women with hysterectomy than menopausal and menstruating women. Menstrual status, age, education, wealth and parity were significantly associated with morbidities. Results of PSM highlights the increasing risk of developing morbidities if women undergo hysterectomy; for example, the value of ATE (2.32) indicates that the chances of diabetes increased by 23% if women have hysterectomy operation. The prevalence of hysterectomy in India was 3.2% (mean age - 34 years) in 2015-16. Unwarranted hysterectomy at younger ages may deteriorate the quality of life of women in later ages.

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 Presented in Session 11. Health & Mortality 2