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Animal behaviour

The evolution of menopause

Nature volume 392, pages 759–761 (1998)Cite this article

Four hypotheses have been proposed to explain menopause. Two are non-adaptive and two adaptive. First, it may simply be a cultural artefact. According to this ‘blessings of modern life’ theory2, menopause occurs because women live longer now than in the past. Most animals reproduce as long as they live, but zoo specimens and pets (whose lifespans have been artificially lengthened) often stop reproducing before they die3. Menopause may similarly result from medically increasing the lifespan of a primate that is born with a fixed total number of gametes4.

Second, menopause may be explained by ‘senescence’ theory. Senescence occurs because the product of reproductive value and survivorship of young individuals always exceeds that of old individuals5. Tendencies to be vigorous, healthy and fertile pile up in youth, whereas somatic and re-productive maintenance is neglected later in life. Thus, menopause may be like geriatric memory loss and failing eyesight — the uncontrolled deterioration of a physiological process that once was well regulated.

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Figure 1: Good mothers — lioness and female olive baboon with young.

BERNARD CASTELEINGERRY ELLIS/ BBC NAT. HIS.

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  1. the Section of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, 14853, New York, USA

    Paul W. Sherman

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Sherman, P. The evolution of menopause. Nature 392, 759–761 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/33805

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