Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Menopause is a prevalent concern for women ranging from the ages of 40 to 60, as it is often associated with significant amounts of physical and emotional distress. Research has shown that estrogen changes during past reproductive events (i.e., puberty, pregnancy, post-partum depression, oral-contraceptive use, and premenstrual syndrome) can lead to depression in some women. However, no studies to date have investigated how distress experienced during past reproductive events may influence the number and severity of menopausal symptoms. This project will be asking women to report on their experiences during past reproductive events to determine if they are predictive of psychological distress (i.e., depression), and symptom severity during the menopausal transition. This project will also be investigating whether experiences during past reproductive events predict medical treatment seeking (i.e., Hormone Replacement Therapy or antidepressant use) during the menopausal transition. Further, this project will be investigating the potential role of androgen sensitivity in the number and severity of certain menopausal symptoms in women (determined by 2nd to 4th digit length ratio). This project has the potential to identify useful predictors of severe menopausal symptoms and to help elucidate hormonal mechanisms underlying menopausal symptoms. Further information on hormonal mechanisms could help improve treatment options for women with severe menopausal symptoms.