SEATTLE — Even though, in recent years, stroke incidence in older adults has declined significantly, it appears to be on the rise in younger women.
A new study suggested that abnormalities of menstruation, the shedding of the uterine lining at the beginning of each menstrual cycle, might offer clues about stroke risk in young and midlife women.
Researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle and the University of Miami and the Bruce W. Carter VAMC, both in Miami, pointed out that endometrial and structural uterine abnormalities are associated with anemia and could be associated with hypercoagulability. That potentially could increase stroke risk, they advised in a review published in the journal Stroke.1
The study listed patient factors that influence both menstruation and stroke risk. Among them are:
- coagulopathies,
- polycystic ovarian syndrome,
- endometriosis,
- migraine, and
- other systemic disorders, in addition to menopause.
“Environmental and iatrogenic factors that influence both menstruation and stroke risk include hormonal contraceptives, nicotine, xenoestrogens, phytoestrogens, oophorectomy, and hysterectomy. Importantly, secondary stroke prevention can affect menstruation,” the authors wrote. “Our current review presents literature supporting the idea that abnormal menstruation may indicate elevated stroke risk in premenopausal women.”
- Seitz A, Raval AP. Menstruation: An Important Indicator for Assessing Stroke Risk and Its Outcomes. Stroke. 2025 Feb;56(2):533-542. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.124.048869. Epub 2024 Nov 7. PMID: 39508108;
