How midlife health and menopause affect aging in women
Official title: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN): The Impact of Midlife and the Menopause Transition on Health and Functioning in Early Old Age
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10698181 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how women's health during midlife, especially around menopause, affects how well they age later in life, and it's for women who want to understand the connection between their health now and their future well-being.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2020 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $9,288,613 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG063720-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10698181 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are women aged 66-75 who have experienced menopause and are interested in understanding how their midlife health impacts their current well-being.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not women or those who are younger than 66 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how health during midlife, particularly during the menopause transition, influences successful aging in women. It utilizes data from a long-term study that has followed a diverse group of women over many years, examining changes in their health and well-being. The study aims to link these midlife health indicators to various aspects of functioning and health as women enter early old age, focusing on cognitive, physical, and psychosocial well-being. Participants will be monitored through comprehensive assessments to understand the long-term effects of menopause on aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved health strategies and interventions for women as they age, enhancing their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have successfully linked midlife health factors to aging outcomes, making this research a continuation of established findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brooks, Maria Mori — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Brooks, Maria Mori
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Menopause, aging, and everyday functioning in women
A long-term study following 3,302 diverse women to understand how the menopause transition affects health and daily functioning as they age.
-
Understanding how vaginal tissue changes after menopause affect reproductive health
A research team is studying why the vaginal lining changes after menopause and how this affects health, with potential solutions to improve comfort and reduce infection risk for postmenopausal women.
-
Menopause, hormones, and Alzheimer’s disease: an in vivo perspective
This project explores how hormone therapy around menopause might influence the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women.
-
PREMAP: Predictors of Menopause-Related Psychosis
A study to understand what factors predict psychosis that can occur during menopause, with a focus on women going through that transition.
-
How vaginal lipids, antioxidants, and protective molecules affect menopause-related genitourinary symptoms across races
Researchers are tracking vaginal and blood chemicals in postmenopausal women of different races to learn how lipid, antioxidant, and osmoprotectant molecules relate to genitourinary menopause symptoms.
-
Menopause, Hormone Therapy, and HIV Risk in Cervical M mucosa
This project looks at how menopause and menopause hormone therapy may change the immune guard in the cervix, potentially affecting HIV risk for aging women.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.