Association between Digit Ratio and Onset of Menopause among Women in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Menopause marks a critical transition in female life history and is defined as the permanent cessation of menstruation for at least 12 consecutive months, reflecting irreversible reproductive senescence. Women with more feminine (higher) 2D:4D ratios have been reported to have longer reproductive lifespans and higher numbers of offspring Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between digit ratio and age at menopause among women residing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Study Design: A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed. Place of Study: The study was carried out in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Methodology: Although 402 women were initially recruited, only 191 participants were able to accurately report their age at menopause and were included in the final analysis. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Anthropometric measurements were obtained using a digital Vernier caliper, while demographic information was collected using a structured questionnaire. The study participants gave their informed consent. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data, Chi-square test was used to test for the association between digit ratio and onset of menopause. A confidence level of 95% was used, and p<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The results revealed a mean menopausal age of 45.63 ± 5.55 years, with mean digit ratios of 0.96 ± 0.04 for the right hand and 0.97 ± 0.04 for the left hand. A statistically significant association was observed between digit ratio and age at menopause, as indicated by the chi-square test of independence (chi-square value = 13.324, degrees of freedom = 4, p<0.05). Women with higher digit ratios demonstrated fewer cases of early menopause and were the only group in which late menopause was recorded. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a low digit ratio is associated with an increased likelihood of early menopause, whereas higher digit ratios are more commonly associated with normal or delayed onset of menopause.