Why older women go through the menopause

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There is a reason for the arduous process of the menopause, say scientists: so older women can help bring up their grandchildren.

Scientists have been baffled as to why humans are the only mammal group to go through the change of life, leaving all other mammal species to continue pro-creating as they get older.

However, experts at Cambridge University say they have come up with an answer and say that the menopause evolved after competition between women and their daughter-in-laws which stems from thousands of years ago.

Apparently the arrival of a newcomer in the form of a daughter-in-law challenged older women to choose between having more children themselves or helping to raise their grandchildren.

And so it evolved than the older generation of women took it upon themselves to offer help to their daughter-in-laws, instead of rearing more kids themselves.

The New Scientist reports that lead researcher Dr Michael Cant calls the menopause the 'ghost of reproductive competitions past'.

He added: 'It was such a striking pattern. Although human mothers may survive for the majority of their daughters' lifespan, they will continue to reproduce for at most a small fraction of their daughters' reproductive span.'

Researchers are now convinced that there is no reproductive overlap in mums and daughters, so that there is no reproductive conflict between the generations.

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Thursday 11 December 2008

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There is no set age or time frame when menopause automatically starts; it is different for every woman. On average, women start going through menopause around in the age of 50. However it can began as early as 51 and as late as age 59 - if not earlier or later. In fact, women can start experiencing the physical and hormonal effects - such as aging skin - as early as their 20s and 30s. It is good for women of all ages to <a href="http://www.squidoo.com/Understanding-Menopause"> understand menopause </a> because it is inevitable.
Comment by JoannaG1117 on December 11 19:43

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