Violence against women and its influence on menopausal symptoms and timing: A narrative review

Key Points

• To examine how violence against women affects menopausal symptoms and timing, along with quality of life implications.
• Narrative review of existing literature on women's health, menopause, and violence exposure.
• Discussion of neuroendocrine and epigenetic factors in relation to menopause and trauma.
• Identification of research gaps in longitudinal studies and standardized measures.
• Violence exposure is associated with increased severity of menopausal symptoms.
• Women experiencing violence tend to enter menopause earlier than those who do not.
• Proposed mechanisms include neuroendocrine dysregulation and epigenetic changes.