Researchers in Barcelona have created the first large-scale map of how the female reproductive system ages, showing that menopause acts as a turning point that affects multiple organs beyond the ovaries. The study, published in Nature Aging, analyzed tissue images from 304 women aged 20 to 70 and used artificial intelligence to examine seven reproductive organs: the uterus, ovary, vagina, cervix, breast, and fallopian tubes. The team tracked both visible tissue changes and the expression of thousands of genes.
For decades, menopause was viewed as a singular event marking the end of ovarian function. Marta Melé, the study’s director and a lead researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, said in a press release that the results show menopause “acts as a turning point that profoundly reorganizes other organs and tissues of the reproductive system.” The study identified genes and molecular processes behind these changes.
The research revealed that reproductive organs do not age uniformly. The ovary and vagina age progressively starting years before menopause. The uterus, on the other hand, experiences more abrupt changes around the time of menopause. Even within the uterus, the mucosa and muscle respond differently, showing that different tissues age at different rates, even within a single organ.
The study also found that signs of reproductive organ aging can be detected in blood samples. After analyzing blood plasma from over 21,000 women, the team identified biomarkers that could allow non-invasive monitoring of reproductive organ health. This could lead to earlier detection of menopause-related risks without needing biopsies. The approach mirrors a growing trend in preventive medicine where blood tests detect early signs of health changes before symptoms appear.
With life expectancy increasing, more women are living longer in the postmenopausal stage. According to the World Health Organization, women over 50 already represented 26 percent of the global population in 2021. Understanding how the reproductive system ages is important for improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and bone diseases linked to menopause. This research lays the groundwork for more precise medicine in women’s health and adds to efforts to support healthy aging at every stage.
