Comparison of menopausal symptoms in women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms in women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, between April 2023 and April 2024. A total of 599 women aged 40–70 years were enrolled and categorized by T2DM status. Menopausal symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and genitourinary symptoms using a genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) questionnaire. Results: Among the 599 participants, 81 women (13.5%) had T2DM. Compared with non-diabetic women, those with T2DM had significantly higher odds of sexual problems (odds ratio [OR] 3.17, p < 0.001), vaginal dryness (OR 1.82, p = 0.04) and sleep disturbances (OR 2.04, p = 0.009). T2DM was also associated with greater genitourinary symptom severity (MRS domain, p = 0.03). Conclusion: Women with T2DM reported more frequent and severe menopausal symptoms, especially in the genitourinary and sleep domains. These findings support the need for integrated, symptom-specific evaluation in menopausal care for women with T2DM.