Menopause - Blame It on Men

Are men to blame for all those distressing symptoms of menopause - Hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings? Experts from Canada's McMaster University answer in the affirmative and point a finger towards men for this distressing period of menopause in women. When men began to choose younger partners, there was no benefit in older women being fertile. This could have eventually led to menopause, as humans are the only species that are unable to reproduce throughout their lives.

Earlier research has also elaborated upon the "grandmother effect", which actually is that women lose their fertility at an age when they begin to take care of younger women’s children. Menopause was actually a way to put an end to reproduction in older women.

The latest research on preferential mating, where men prefer younger and fertile partners has perhaps put an end to fertility in older women and led to the onset of menopause. It could be an evolved response to the trend.

"The social system is changing. There are women who are starting families later, because of education or a career." This could mean a late menopause in women.

"The authors argue that the menopause exists in humans because males have a strong preference for younger females. However, this is probably the wrong way round - the human male preference for younger females is likely to be because older females are less fertile. Evolutionarily-speaking, older females faced an interesting 'choice': have a child that may not reach adulthood before your own death, or stop reproducing and instead focus on helping your younger relatives reproduce."

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Source-Medindia