International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Smoking raises the risk of a woman going through the menopause early, recent research shows.

According to a study by researchers at Imperial College London, smokers are the most at risk from early menopause, along with those from the lowest social classes.

Almost 5,000 UK women were studied for the research, which looked at the reasons behind the menopause occurring before 40.

Dr Rumana Islam, who presented her findings to the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, warned that women who go through the menopause early are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

"Primary care doctors need to ask women about the menopause and advise them on what steps to take to protect their health," she added.

Researchers from University Medical Center Ulrecht, in the Netherlands, recently revealed they had created a test to predict the age at which women will go through the menopause.

Posted by Martine Ward