Early menopause affects 1 in 14 women in low and middle income countries, pooled data reveal

MedicalXpress | Jul 07, 2026

Early menopause affects 1 in 14 women ages 30 to 49 living in low- and middle-income countries, according to a pooled data analysis of its prevalence in 44 nations published in the open-access journal BMJ Global Health. The incidence is consistently higher in rural areas than in urban areas across all regions and countries included in the analysis, but education and delayed childbearing strongly minimize the risk.