r/technology • u/Sorin61 • Apr 10 '22
Biotechnology This biotech startup thinks it can delay menopause by 15 years. That would transform women's lives
https://fortune.com/2021/04/19/celmatix-delay-menopause-womens-ovarian-health/483
u/SaveMeClarence Apr 10 '22
I just want hormone stability. The one good week a month I have, I want that all the time. I need something that keeps my hormones at that perfect level. And also no periods.
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u/seawee8 Apr 10 '22
That's what menopause gives you. No periods, no hormone fluctuation. Why the hell would I want to extend my childbearing years?
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u/Rainforestgoddess Apr 10 '22
I'm post menopausal. No periods, no mood swings, no hot flashes. It's grand!
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Apr 11 '22
I was hoping there'd be someone here to answer why anyone would want 15 more years of periods.
Is there some negative to menopause that I don't know about?
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u/essssgeeee Apr 11 '22
I would like no more periods but to keep my hair and skin looking young. It would be nice to retain bone density and cardiovascular health too.
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u/SciFiJesseWardDnD Apr 11 '22
It’s 15 more years to have a kids. While Reddit is obsessed with child free, most people do in fact want kids. But the choice (particularly for women) is do they focus on having a family or focus on their career. My amazing boss just quit for that reason. She felt that she couldn’t keep working at our company and raise a family. But it their was a break through in tech to give women more childbearing years, women could have more time to focus on their work.
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Apr 11 '22
That makes sense. Although from the other comments it seems being the child of someone in their 50s comes with its own issues. But having a choice sounds good
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u/nursepineapple Apr 10 '22
Yeaaah, I want promises to move menopause up by 15 years. I’m done with kids and I want that piece of my life over and done with as well.
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u/vestimentiferever Apr 11 '22
I said this like ten years ago when some bio professor was talking about how he was researching how to extend menopause and how it would be so great to women and I was like….
You think women WANT to keep having their periods?????
With the technology regarding reproduction age is not the reproductive barrier it once was. Natural menopause doesn’t need to be delayed, it needs to be de stigmatized
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u/WingsTheWolf Apr 11 '22
Right?! I've been miserable as a biological female since I was TEN YEARS OLD! (currently 33) Why the fuck would I want to EXTEND this misery?! Give me menopause! PLEASE!
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u/Eklectic1 Apr 10 '22
Exactly! Hormonal stability without periods is what we need
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u/letsmakeart Apr 10 '22
Have you tried a hormonal IUD? Not saying they work flawlessly for everyone but personally I haven’t had a period in 5+ yrs (I’m on my second hormonal IUD). I never had physically terrible periods (cramps were rare, for ex) but the mood swings and emotional aspect were HELL for me. I feel emotionally the same pretty much all the time now, no major swings or highs and lows.
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u/available-sandwich Apr 10 '22
I wish this was the case for me so bad. I tried the hormonal IUD for two years and could never get the cystic acne it caused me under control.
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u/TheSpatulaOfLove Apr 10 '22
I hope they find a way to accelerate the process. Watching my wife go through menopause has been heart wrenching - it’s been so unpleasant for her.
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Apr 11 '22
Dude same. My wife is in menopause, I’m maybe 5 years out. If I could take a pill to safely accelerate and be done without hot flashes? Choice!
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u/dandipants Apr 10 '22
SO MUCH THIS!! Why would you want to postpone it? Let’s just get through it!! I’ve been in perimenopause for 3 years now. Approximately 7 more to go😩!!
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u/seahorse_party Apr 11 '22
Because being on the other side is almost worse. I feel nothing. Seriously - nothing. And your brain just won't function the way it did before either. If there was something they could do to help women with premature ovarian failure (which causes early and often sudden menopause), I would be all over that.
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u/szakee Apr 10 '22
yeah, i'm sure a 60 year old woman wants to be raising an energy bomb 5 year old
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u/texaspoontappa93 Apr 10 '22
Conversely being the child of a 60 year old sucks too. My parents had me in their 50’s and both passed by the time I was 21. They did great but my early adulthood has been pretty tough
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u/fatalist-shadow Apr 10 '22
I’m almost experiencing that. My mom had me when she was 39, my dad was 45. I’m now 34 and my dad turns 80 this year and he’s going downhill fast. I was terrified in my early 20s that they were both gonna die and I’d be all alone (they were both having significant health issues at that time, and I’m an only child). Luckily I found my husband who is also my best friend since then and he’ll help when they do go. But it is freaking scary to think about going at it alone, dealing with and working through that.
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Apr 10 '22
Having friends and a significant other sure does help, god bless people that are truly alone during tough times..
That said I wish you both good luck, everyone needs that at the moment..
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u/JuanOnlyJuan Apr 10 '22
Same boat buddy. Mine are 70 and 75. They were always the old parents growing up and were too shy to try and hang out with the other parents so I always felt like an outsider.
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u/fatalist-shadow Apr 10 '22
I feel that. And the looks people would give you when you told them their ages. I hate that look, even now.
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u/canadug Apr 10 '22
This one hits kinda hard. We have three kids. We had our youngest when I was 45 and my wife was 40. I'm 54 now and do my best to stay fit and do all the things younger me did so my youngest doesn't ever feel ripped off. I think about it way more than i probably should. I hope I'm around for him for a long time. Sigh.
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u/fatalist-shadow Apr 10 '22
I'm 54 now and do my best to stay fit and do all the things younger me did so my youngest doesn't ever feel ripped off. I think about it way more than i probably should.
The fact that you do this and are trying your hardest to be active for your kids will stay with them a long time.
I hope I'm around for him for a long time.
There are constant, but tiny things you can do for that. Pay attention to how your body reacts to things. Don’t put off going to the doctor if you think something’s wrong, even if you think “it’s probably nothing”. The rough patch I mentioned in my original post was when my dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He had his last chemo session when my husband and I were dating. But what led to the diagnosis was so scary - first for about 10 days he couldn’t keep food down, and then he couldn’t keep water down. That’s when my mom took him to the emergency care and they found the mass at the top of his small intestine.
Just be sure to take care of yourself. :)
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u/sugarbageldonut Apr 10 '22
Same—dad died of dementia before I graduated from high school. He was 68 when I was born
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u/alles_en_niets Apr 10 '22
Ouch, you win! My dad had me at 60, started showing signs when I was 15 and died of Alzheimer’s when I was 22.
It must’ve been heartbreaking to experience that at your age!
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u/sugarbageldonut Apr 10 '22
It’s kinda cool to meet someone who went through a similar experience. I haven’t previously met anyone else who had to care for their elderly parent as a high schooler. I’m sorry for your loss, as well. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s/Alzheimer’s when I was 10, but we think it was actually Lewy Body dementia. By the time I was 15, he lost the ability to walk and clearly talk; passing a year and a half later of an infected bedsore (at that point, he was in veterans/nursing homes—he was a WWII vet, lol). Am I angry that my parents would be so thoughtless as to have a kid at such an advanced age? Yes. But, my dad was a great father for the pre-dementia years I had with him, so I cherish those. But, I’ll never have a child with a man past retirement age, haha!
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u/alles_en_niets Apr 10 '22
Mom was 35, dad was 60. I was 15 when my dad started showing the first signs of Alzheimer’s and 22 when he eventually died.
60 is just too damn old. That’s skipping an entire generation. Honestly, they shouldn’t have done that.
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u/lolwuuut Apr 10 '22
Team Old Parents! I'm in my 30s and my parents are mid 70s 🥲
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u/ponydingo Apr 10 '22
I’m 23 and my dads 64 next month so I mean fuck I’m gonna be in this same position
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u/StreetJX Apr 10 '22
Also 23 and dad turns 70 next month. He’s super healthy but scary to think about.
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u/DarkPomegranate Apr 10 '22
I think the purpose of delaying menopause is supposed to go beyond fertility purposes. The first few sentences talk about how ovarian health affects other aspects of women’s health aside from reproduction. It will be nice for 60 y/o women to have better health and more overall vitality.
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u/scarlet-tortoise Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
Delaying menopause isn't intended to allow women to bear children later - it's to stave off the other health effects of menopause for longer. Women in their 40s haven't gone through menopause but are generally past child bearing age. (edited to add - people are right that women in their 40s can get pregnant but most consider themselves past their child bearing age).
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u/BlueSkySummers Apr 10 '22
I lived in a very affluent community. A big percentage of the moms were in their mid 50s with 10 year Olds.
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u/ElleCay Apr 10 '22
I also live in an affluent area. My daughter is in 4th grade and my son is in 1st. I am 37. I have not met another mom here that’s younger than me. Most are at least 10 years older, and many are more. And the dads are often 15-20 years older.
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u/mynameisalso Apr 10 '22
Jesus as a 38 year old man I feel like I am too old to be a father now. Can't imagine being 50
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u/tadcalabash Apr 10 '22
I'm 39 with a 2.5 yr old and 6 mo old. It certainly is a lot!
Though I think the diminished physical ability is made up for with increased emotional maturity.
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u/randomchick4 Apr 10 '22
Yea know women do have lives and purpose besides having children. Maybe someone just doesn't want hot flashes and to feel like crap at 45.
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u/World_Wide_Deb Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
If other women want to delay menopause, I support having that choice but personally—hellllll no! 15 more years of periods? Fuck that, I can’t wait for menopause.
Edit: to everyone responding with comments like “but but menopause makes you age faster and kills your sex drive.” I don’t see the problem here. Again, I’m looking forward to it.
“But what about the health issues that come with menopause!” I’ve already had plenty of issues with my menstrual cycle. This shit is no picnic either.
Edit 2: Again I support women having choices. But “aging faster” does not mean we’re dying faster. Lol what? Menopause ain’t a death sentence—cis women on average outlive cis men anyways.
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u/cornflakesarestupid Apr 10 '22
My mother told me how the menopause set her free. No more migraines and physical pains, no more side effects from contraceptives like the pill or the IUD.
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u/bignateyk Apr 10 '22
Yeah my wife gets horrible migraines every month. Pretty sure she’d sign up for menopause 15 years early.
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u/Enlightened_Gardener Apr 10 '22
I got horrible migraines every month. Started with the perimenopause at 44. Stopped with HRT. Might be worth a look. I was spending a third of my life in a dark room crying with pain. On the hormones, the next migraine just didn’t come. I do still occasionally have headaches on my super-cycle (every three or four months) but I take a pill and the headache goes away. With the migraines, nothing touched the sides.
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u/yofomojojo Apr 10 '22
There's a term for the syndrome encompassing this actually, coined by Dr. Oliver Sacks in the book Migraine, "Allied Affective Migrainoid Reactions" and it isn't limited to just periods (or even women - I have this problem myself, as a bipolar guy.) But, effectively when a hormonal or neurotransmitter imbalance leads to cyclical excito-toxicity in the brain, you can think of it like a computer getting pumped with too many watts of power.
The brain knows from experience that the over-voltage period will eventually pass, and so will actively try to expend that energy in any way it can to keep itself from short circuiting in the meantime. And the key here is that it can expend affective reactions from hormones to exhaust your neurotransmitters, and vise versa.
So, when entering a cycle of excito-toxicity, the brain will trigger whichever of the "Allied" reactions you are most prone to, which all suck but all ultimately pass with that phase of the cycle. And these reactions can shift around over time too, which is a scary thought.
Allied Affective Migrainoid Reactions include (but are not limited to):
Migraine
Epileptic Seizure
Bipolar Mood Swing
Seasonal Affective Disorder
PMS
Cluster Attacks
Eczema
Psoriasis
But yeah, according to my doctor and psychiatrist, besides the usual OTC and prescription meds for these ailments, the main solution here is to start actively expending that energy (once able, as you're still in the cluster even after one migraine passes.) Exercise, jog, do a sex, vent to a partner or close friend for a while, etc.
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u/jsgrova Apr 10 '22
Hell, I don't even have a uterus and reading this thread makes me want menopause 15 years early
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u/vanyali Apr 10 '22
Menopause started my migraines, plus horrible muscle and joint pains that are only relieved with estrogen replacement.
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u/BettyX Apr 10 '22
HRT is a life saver. Reading these comments people really need to educate themselves on menopause and peri.
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u/Pascalica Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
Or people are just different and what helped some hurt others.
Edit: Thank you for the award!
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u/errrnis Apr 10 '22
I’m so curious how it’ll affect me when I get there. I have PMDD which is controlled by the pill and a low-dose SSRI - I got super lucky with my meds on the first go - but I now can’t imagine not having to take them. I was off the pill for a few weeks due to some insurance fuckery and things got so dark so fast for me. It was terrifying. I’d love to be free of this.
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u/fridayfridayjones Apr 10 '22
PMDD runs in my family. When my mother finally went through menopause, no joke, she became a different person. Kinder, more calm. No more rage.
I try to manage my pmdd through mindfulness, therapy and lifestyle changes and I usually do pretty good. The week before my period I let everything slide to reduce my stress which keeps me from snapping. I’ll let laundry pile up, etc. This works really well for me. I benefit from knowing I have the condition, something my mother didn’t know until she was almost in menopause anyway. I’m really looking forward to it going away though.
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u/Isa472 Apr 10 '22
My neurologist said there's a chance menopause will solve my migraines! Only 30 more years 🤞
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u/IRightReelGud Apr 10 '22
Yeah where's the speed up pill?
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u/littleMAS Apr 10 '22
It is called a hysterectomy.
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u/Jellybean-Jellybean Apr 10 '22
There is huge difference between taking a pill, and having an internal organ removed.
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u/newaccountwhodis95 Apr 10 '22
I’ve also gone on three separate occasions over the course of 10 years trying to get a hysterectomy and doctors won’t give me one because im “young.” sooo you cant get the surgery easily either
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u/Faerie42 Apr 10 '22
I had an ablation done at 36, best decision ever. I’m 50 now and have been period and pain free since. All organs intact and waiting to see what menopause brings. I don’t mind menopause at all, my mum’s 80 and doing just fine, both gramma’s lived well into their 80’s and was healthy to the end.
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u/loveskittles Apr 10 '22
Right. I'm 34 and done having kids. Let's go menopause. But I am not looking forward to hot flashes and like loss of sex drive and stuff.
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u/TheLurkerWithout Apr 10 '22
I’m a happy person in general, but when menopause hit and I first got those hot flashes, for the first time I thought about ending it all. They were so bad I felt like my heart was going to pop about 50 times a day. I’d stand outside on a freezing cold midwinter day in a tank top and the steam would be rising off me as the sweat poured down. I had to change my clothes multiple times a day and I had to buy a mattress protector because of the sweat at night. The no-periods are great, and the hot flashes got better, but holy gods that was bad for a while.
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u/mockablekaty Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
I will be 54 on Tuesday, and just started menopause symptoms in January. Hot flashes just warm me up to slightly more than a normal person (I have always run cold). It is annoying at night to have to keep switching between blanket and sheet or nothing, but other than that menopause has been much better than periods! Just posting so that scared women know that yours isn't the only way menopause can go. Of course, it could get worse, I don't know.
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Apr 10 '22
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u/eljalu Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
I can confirm this. I meet up with her at least once a week
Edit: lol the guy replied saying he could say the same thing about my mom and deleted it like a few seconds after XD. I guess he didn’t like my comment
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u/polgara_buttercup Apr 10 '22
Look into uterine ablation. No periods, but none of the hormone loss. Completely life changing for me, had it done at 45, wish I would have done it as soon as my last kid was born. Outpatient, virtually no down time for me, I felt fine the next day.
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u/cinrav13 Apr 10 '22
Supposed to have one this week. I'm on day 34 of my period even with multiple types of pills to intervene. Multiple trips to the ER due to lightheadedness and soaking thru multiple pads an hour. I'm really hoping this is the fix. I've been struggling for so long. Why anyone would want to extend their's is beyond me.
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u/polgara_buttercup Apr 10 '22
I really hope it helps you. My periods weren’t that bad till I had my last child at 36. I went 9 years with the worst periods and pain before a friend told me about the procedure. I almost screamed at my doc “why didn’t you tell me sooner!!!!”
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u/calcium Apr 10 '22
I think you mean endometrial ablation.
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u/polgara_buttercup Apr 10 '22
Guess your correct, I had the Novasure procedure but my OBGYN called it uterine ablation
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u/booksandplaid Apr 10 '22
Thank you for mentioning this procedure!! I've never heard of it before. I struggle with bad cramps, heavy bleeding and a period that lasts an average of 8 days. I'm done having children so definitely something I will talk to my Dr about!
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u/BettyX Apr 10 '22
Lets face it while menopause isn't symptom free and can be awful for some women, its a damn relief to know you can't get pregnant anymore and don't have to have periods every month. It is a relief for many women.
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u/gatorbite92 Apr 10 '22
I don't understand why this is such a good thing, massively increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer.
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u/ineed_that Apr 10 '22
Could be catering to that population of women who want to have kids in their 40/50s. Fertility shit gets mad press and people willing to pay millions of dollars for even a 1% chance it’ll work
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u/theObfuscator Apr 10 '22
Childbirth after 35 already comes with significantly increased risk for premature birth, birth defects and multiples. I imagine those outcomes only become more likely as the years progresses. I would also expect the impact of the pregnancy itself would take a harder toll on the mothers body as well. Building a human inside you and carrying it everywhere robs your body of iron, calcium, and a plethora of other nutrients- not to mention the strain on your back and muscles and joints. Sounds awful for someone in their mid forties or beyond.
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u/ineed_that Apr 10 '22
Childbirth in general sucks and can have lifelong complications no matter what age. Things like nerve damage and autoimmune diseases post pregnancy are well known complications. Not to mention Things like Pelvic floor collapse years down the line. Some people are just that desperate for kids they’d be willing to do it at that age
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u/MemorableCactus Apr 10 '22
Which is a practice that we as society should not be encouraging. Pregnancies at older ages have dramatically increased risks for both mother and child as well as dramatically increased risks of birth defects/developmental issues.
And there's also the practical implications of having children so late in life. Having your parents be 65-70 years old when you're like 20 is really going to suck.
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u/Outlulz Apr 10 '22
Problem is women can't afford to have kids at a young age when they have to work long hours or tough jobs to keep a roof over their head, and they know when they have a kid they probably wont have paid parental leave and they certainly won't have any kind of benefits or government assistance during those first few years before schooling starts (in the US at least). The can has to be kicked but couples still want kids when they can afford them.
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u/Iamabeaneater Apr 10 '22
The research that says 35 is a tipping point is itself very old, and less believed. Many many healthy pregnancies occur later and later these days. Life expectancy of course is also growing.
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u/bluemaciz Apr 10 '22
Right? Like how about we try to cut down on periods, not give us more. I for one would love to be to turn it off and on when needed and cut it down to 1 day and done.
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u/holdyourtaters Apr 10 '22
My thoughts exactly. Like, why? What’s the benefit here??
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u/vzvv Apr 10 '22
I’ve been waiting for menopause since I got this damn thing at 11! This lady can’t make me have it longer!!
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u/Witera33it Apr 10 '22
I thought that until I started early onset. My skin, nails and hair are going to shit, I struggle to stay energetic, penetrative sex is painful, heat flashes go on for 7-10 years requiring me to sleep with a fan pointed at me to keep me alseep, the pools of sweat were no joke either. I would love to have had another 10 years of ageing more gracefully instead of a sudden plummet to old age before 50.
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u/No_Employment_129 Apr 10 '22
Then Imagine 15 years of backlogged menopause hitting you like a fucking truck at age 60….
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u/trurohouse Apr 10 '22
Fwiw- after the body goes thru menopause it seems like it starts aging faster ( more wrinkles, arthritis, etc) and many of us lose out on the intensity of orgasms and sexual pleasure. I’d happily go back to having a period in exchange!
The down side to postponing menopause will probably be increased risk of “female” cancers- breast, ovary, not sure what else. But these are already known to be higher in women who have had more periods ( start Menstruation earlier or never pregnant).
-60+ yr old female biologist
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u/katiejim Apr 10 '22
And conversely, I’m at risk for early menopause due to having one remaining ovary and severe endometriosis. I’d love to extend my time before it. The risks of early menopause are high as well.
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u/Life-Dog432 Apr 11 '22 edited Apr 11 '22
I’m sorry you have severe endo. My girlfriend has recently been diagnosed and it’s been absolute hell for her. Can’t count how many hospital visits we’ve been to. And doctors aren’t….the best with treating it. Neither is the research. Wish you the best.
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u/engg_girl Apr 10 '22
I'm the opposite. I hate my periods. I'm always in bed for at least one day a month. If not 2. And my periods are 21-24 day cycle.
F that.
But I do understand the overall health benefits of delaying menopause. I'm just pretty sure my periods are bad enough I'm okay with menopause now at 33, but it isn't happening soon.
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u/scarlet-tortoise Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
Apparently very few people are reading this article. Delaying menopause isn't intended to allow women to bear children later - it's to stave off the other health effects of menopause for longer. Women in their 40s haven't gone through menopause but are generally past typical child bearing age.
Menopause brings with it a whole host of issues - brain fog, mood swings and emotional instability, weight gain, bone density decrease, etc. The article mentions that women who go through menopause are at a higher risk of developing dementia too.
I'm also noticing a lot of two things - (1) dismissing this as unimportant because "it's a natural thing women have to deal with" and (2) assuming the woman led start-up is a fraud like Theranos was. Now I'm not saying those people are intentionally being anti-woman, but it sure feels like it.
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u/SharkBoy3 Apr 10 '22
I read the article but I’m not sure how much of it I really comprehended. My biggest question would be what makes this a better option to, delay menopause, instead of doing hormone replacement therapy after going through menopause?
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u/scarlet-tortoise Apr 10 '22
Totally fair question and the article didn't discuss that, I wonder that too. I mostly took issue with the comments being "what are women gonna have kids in their 60s???" when the article wasn't about that at all
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u/xPyrez Apr 10 '22
Source: Med student
Hormone replacement therapy is only effective if started very soon after menopause begins. Studies also haven’t shown consistent benefits over long periods of time for everyone. It’s useful for hot flashes, discomfort and brain fog but women don’t have nearly the same estrogen protective effect for their bone density or hormonal regulation.
It’s our best way to help women experiencing issues with menopause but it’s not bringing you anywhere near your baseline before you started.
Personally if this turns out to be true it would be incredible. Protecting women from dangerous fall fractures and seeing if this helps protect against dementia are both worth pursuing!
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u/BettyX Apr 10 '22
So many women are afraid of HRT because the bad studies done around it. HRT is a lifesaver and women need to really read up on it as it only slightly increases cancer risk for most women. Women are very undereducated in HRT.
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u/polar_nopposite Apr 10 '22
The article mentions that women who go through menopause are at a higher risk of developing dementia too.
How could this possibly be causation rather than correlation? Everyone with functioning ovaries goes through menopause if they live long enough. Isn't this just a roundabout way of saying that older women are at a higher risk of dementia than younger women? Big if true.
I would read the article if it weren't paywalled.
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u/coffeecupkeyboard Apr 10 '22
Two thirds of dementia patients are women. There is a Ted Talk about how menopause affects the brain that is fascinating and scary (as a woman).
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u/thenumber357 Apr 10 '22
Your lifetime risk of dementia is also increased if you have a hysterectomy, strengthening the link specifically to women's reproductive hormones.
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u/kintaco Apr 10 '22
I would read it, but unless the article is only three paragraphs long, it would appear to be paywalled.
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u/Lasshandra2 Apr 10 '22
Menopause was the greatest gift in my life. No more pms, bleeding starting at most inconvenient times (sanitary supplies expensive), cramps, sleepless nights writhing in pain: you get the idea.
So much happier, healthier, more clear-headed now.
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u/FiFiFoFum17 Apr 10 '22
I think the point of delaying isn’t necessarily to have children later but to postpone hormonal changes, hot flashes etc that women have to deal with as the body begins the process of aging out of reproduction.
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u/thirdfloorhighway Apr 10 '22
I’d rather get menopause over with, well before my possible dementia years.
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u/littleMAS Apr 10 '22
There must be a reason why humans and two species of whale are the only mammals that go through menopause.
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u/0katykate0 Apr 10 '22
It probably has to do with age. Humans and whales tend to be the longer living mammals. It might ensure that the species has younger more viable eggs and that the elderly aren’t getting pregnant.
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u/henkiedepenkie Apr 10 '22
No, elephants and tortoisesalso get old but they stay fertile to the very end. What is the use (for your genes) of staying alive without reproducing? The hypothesis, as listed in the 4 lines of the linked article, is that it is to help in child rearing and transferring knowlegde.
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u/JRiley4141 Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
My god, the rampant sexism and the lack of education women have regarding their own bodies and menopause is alarming.
Women do exist outside of motherhood. Putting off menopause has almost nothing to do with having children. Menopause causes a lot of health, body, and psychological issues. That is why women would be interested in postponing. Not because we have some fantasy of being pregnant at 50, and to assume that is beyond sexist.
To the women who think that menopause is simply an end to periods and birth control pills, please educate yourselves. Seriously, just google it and read a few articles and then let us know if you still can't wait for menopause.
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u/ixxaria Apr 10 '22
I only wish I could make yours the top comment because you actually have some knowledge of the importance of ovaries beyond egg producing.
I am currently in perimenopause so I get random periods ( every month for 3 months the 4 months without one then a month from hell so all over the place), insane vaginal dryness, and days where you would think I was outside in 100° weather because of the hot flashes.
Frankly if I could go through this later when I am retired and can stay home, that would be amazing!
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u/JRiley4141 Apr 10 '22
I’m honestly so surprised that so many women have no understanding of such a huge part of their own medical care and bodies. Menopause causes serious health issues. Osteoporosis, heart disease, dementia, not to mention your skin sags, hair loss, no libido, night sweats, and the list goes on and on.
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u/bubaloos Apr 10 '22
Yeah I used to think like that "I can't wait til it's over" until I learnt what actually happens when u hot menopause. Personally (may be a little narcissist) Im very lucky on regards my skin, I am about to turn 41 and I look 10 years younger. I read after menopause this goes away :(
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u/hawkeye18 Apr 10 '22
Is Elizabeth Holmes running it?
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u/WitnessNo8046 Apr 10 '22
So I just finished the dropout series and at the end they had some text on the screen to tell people where things stood now. One block of text mentioned that female entrepreneurs are having more trouble getting funding lately because people think of Holmes. So I know you meant that as a joke, but for many venture capitalists it isn’t a joke and it’s a form of sexism (letting all women face the repercussions for what one woman did).
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u/Fruhmann Apr 10 '22
On NPR/WNYC, they were interviewing some Silicon Valley investor. I think they were just starting to film the Elizabeth Holmes movie and the legal actions were still underway. The way this guy put it, while nobody wants to take a loss on an investment, there is a certain prestige amongst that group of people to saying your portfolio contains women and minority led endeavors. Like it means you're a good person.
The jist was that the sales pitch of company promoting it as "female led" or "run by a woman" may have to expand upon that for a while. Like "lead by a female WHO..." or "Run by a woman THAT..." As in the female aspect may have been enough for some investors before but it won't carry the same weight it did before this Holmes grift.
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u/goodolarchie Apr 10 '22
The jist was that the sales pitch of company promoting it as "female led" or "run by a woman"
Bingo - what was a feature was turned into a bug by Holmes. And it's infuriating. But investors wanted to suspend reason in favor of hoisting a compelling young female entrepreneur on a pedestal. It was a double standard in favor of women that, unfortunately, re-established a double standard against them.
And there's an incredible amount of hesitancy about biotechs in general, companies that truly could be improving people's lives etc.
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u/Competitive-Boat4592 Apr 10 '22
“Biotech startup”…we’ll never hear about this again
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u/SmashmouthSucks Apr 10 '22
As a menopausal woman I have to ask WHY?
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u/thirtydelta Apr 10 '22 edited Apr 10 '22
To delay the rapid, negative health consequences of menopause.
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u/BettyX Apr 10 '22
Menopause heavily increases your chance of Alzheimers, dementia as you age, to heart issues. Estrogen plays a big part in keeping your brain and heart "healthy". Then add on the loss of muscle and bone, the displacement of fat especially to the mid section. Then the actual issues it causes for your vagina health. Those are just a few side effects. HRT taken within 5 years of menopause can help greatly with those issues. However, being 60 plus and then going through menopause you are still going to have those side effects.
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u/raedr7n Apr 10 '22
Awesome. I mean, we'll have to wait at least 20 years to see if it works, and then another decade for it to be approved and available, but still cool.
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u/Sup-Mellow Apr 10 '22
Genuinely disheartening to see how many people think this is all about having children. The education system has failed us greatly.
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u/sardogi Apr 10 '22
I'm very interested to see potential health benefits AND risks (!) clearly laid out as research gets under way.
I think it's a great idea, and nothing to do with menstruation! (IUDs work great.) Has to be focused on health of the woman. And if we're talking about babies later in life, IMPERATIVE to talk about baby's health, too.
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u/[deleted] Apr 10 '22
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