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Lewington S, Li L, Murugasen S, Hong LS, Yang L, Guo Y, Bian Z, Collins R, Chen J, He H, Wu M, He T, Ren X, Meng J, Peto R, Chen Z. Temporal trends of main reproductive characteristics in ten urban and rural regions of China: the China Kadoorie biobank study of 300 000 women. Int J Epidemiol 2014; 43:1252-62. [PMID: 24639443 PMCID: PMC4121552 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyu035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chinese women's reproductive patterns have changed significantly over the past several decades. However, relatively little is known about the pace and characteristics of these changes either overall or by region and socioeconomic status. METHODS We examined the cross-sectional data from the China Kadoorie Biobank cohort study that recruited 300 000 women born between 1930 and 1974 (mean age: 51 years) from 10 socially diverse urban and rural regions of China. Temporal trends in several self-reported reproductive characteristics, and effect modification of these trends by area and education (as a surrogate for socioeconomic status), were examined. RESULTS The overall mean age at menarche was 15.4 (standard deviation 1.9) years, but decreased steadily over the 45 birth cohorts from 16.1 to 14.3 years, except for an anomalous increase of ∼1 year for women exposed to the 1958-61 famine in early adolescence. Similarly large changes were seen for other characteristics: mean parity fell (urban: 4.9 to 1.1; rural: 5.9 to 1.4); mean age at first birth increased (urban: 19.0 to 25.9 years; rural: 18.3 to 23.8 years); and birth spacing increased after 1980 to over 5 years. Breastfeeding declined after 1950 in urban and, after 1980, in rural women; and 68% of urban and 48% of rural women experienced a terminated pregnancy. Mean age at menopause increased from 47.9 to 49.3 years. CONCLUSIONS There have been striking changes in reproductive factors over time and between areas among these Chinese women. Their effects on major chronic diseases should be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lewington
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - LiMing Li
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, ChinaClinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Serini Murugasen
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Lai-san Hong
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Ling Yang
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Yu Guo
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Zheng Bian
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Rory Collins
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Junshi Chen
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui He
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Ming Wu
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Tianyou He
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaolan Ren
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Jinhuai Meng
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Richard Peto
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhengming Chen
- Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, School of Public Health, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, China, Chinese National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China, Nangang Center for Disease Control, Haerbin, Heilongjiang, China, Jiangsu Centre for Disease Control, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, Huixian Centre for Disease Control, Huixian, Hennan, China, Gansu Centre for Disease Control, Lanzhou, Gansu, China and Liuzhou Centre for Disease Control, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
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