School of Public Health - University of Queensland

InterLACE provides a unique opportunity to conduct world-leading research in collaboration with key national and international investigators on women’s health studies from more than ten countries.

Start date: January 2012
Funding sources: National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council

The project undertakes cross-cohort research by combining data at the individual level from more than 850,000 participants from 27 existing observational studies to investigate the role of reproductive health across the life course on future chronic disease events including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

While such research poses cross-cohort and cross-cultural challenges, InterLACE has the capability to address research questions and generate robust evidence that is not possible from any single cohort study. InterLACE also enables a detailed review of methodologies currently used in studies on women’s health that will result in recommendations for study design, menopausal symptom measures, and reporting of results to improve international and cross-cultural comparisons.

Contact

interlace@uq.edu.au

Professor Gita Mishra

NHMRC Leadership Fellow

School of Public Health
Centre Director of Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre

Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre
Professor Annette Dobson

Affiliate of Australian Women's and Girls' Health Research Centre

Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre
Professor of Biostatistics

School of Public Health
Dr Hsin-Fang Chung

Research Fellow

School of Public Health
Ms Megan Ferguson

Senior Manager, Research Operations

School of Public Health
Affiliate of Australian Women's and Girls' Health Research Centre

Australian Women and Girls' Health Research Centre
Dr Chen Liang

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Public Health

Professor Debra Anderson
Associate Dean (Research)
Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney

Publications

Liang C, Chung HF, Anderson DJ, van der Schouw YT, Avis NE, Karvonen-Gutierrez CA, Dobson AJ, Mishra GD. The association of infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and parity with osteoporosis: a pooled analysis of five cohort studies. Fertility and Sterility 2025 (in press). Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40749780
Chung HF, Hayashi K, Dobson AJ, Sandin S, Ideno Y, Hardy R, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Association between endometriosis and type and age of menopause: a pooled analysis of 279,948 women from five cohort studies. Human Reproduction 2025; 40(6):1210-19. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304605
Dobson AJ, Xu Z, Wilson LF, Chung HF, Sandin S, van der Schouw YT, Demakakos P, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Menopause age and type and dementia risk: a pooled analysis of 233,802 women. Age and ageing 2024; 53(11):afae254. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39562342
Doust J, Baneshi MR, Chung HF, Wilson LF, Mishra GD. Assessing the accuracy of cardiovascular disease prediction using female-specific risk factors in women aged 45 to 69 years in the UK Biobank study. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes 2024; 17(12):e010842. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39641165
Liang C, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Mishra GD. Association of a history of depression with infertility, miscarriage, and stillbirth: a longitudinal cohort study. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences 2024; 33:e55. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39498507
Liang C, Dobson AJ, Chung HF, van der Schouw YT, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Association of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss with the risk of dementia. European Journal of Epidemiology 2024; 39(7):785-93. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38888679
Liang C, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Female reproductive histories and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thorax 2024; 79(6):508-14. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38350732
Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Hayashi K, Hardy R, Kuh D, Anderson DJ, van der Schouw YT, Greenwood DC, Cade JE, Demakakos P, Brunner EJ, Eastwood SV, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Ethnic differences in the association between age at natural menopause and risk of type 2 diabetes among postmenopausal women: a pooled analysis of individual data from 13 cohort studies. Diabetes Care 2023; 46(11):2024-34. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37747341
Liang C, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Cade JE, Greenwood DC, Hayashi K, Hardy R, Kuh D, van der Schouw YT, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Is there a link between infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature or early menopause? Results from pooled analyses of nine cohort studies. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2023; 229(1):47.e1-e9. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37059411
Liang C, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Hayashi K, van der Schouw YT, Kuh D, Hardy R, Derby CA, El Khoudary SR, Janssen I, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and risk of stroke: pooled analysis of individual patient data of 618,851 women. BMJ 2022; 377:e070603. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35732311
Xu Z, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Wilson L, Hickey M, Mishra GD. Menopause, hysterectomy, menopausal hormone therapy, and cause-specific mortality: cohort study of UK Biobank participants. Human Reproduction 2022; 37(9):2175-85. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35690930
Chung HF, Zhu D, Dobson A, Kuh D, Gold EB, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Anderson DJ, Mishra GD. Age at menarche and risk of vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a pooled analysis of six studies. BJOG 2021; 128(3): 603-13. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33135854
Mishra SR, Chung HF, Waller M, Dobson AJ, Greenwood DC, Cade JE, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Simonsen MK, Hardy R, Kuh D, Gold EB, Crawford SL, Derby CA, Matthews KA, Demakakos P, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Hayashi K, Sievert LL, Brown DE, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Association between reproductive life span and incident nonfatal cardiovascular disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data from 12 studies. JAMA Cardiology 2020; 5(12):1410-18. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32936210
Zhu D, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Pandeya N, Anderson DJ, Kuh D, Hardy R, Brunner EJ, Avis NE, Gold EB, Crawford SL, Mishra GD. Vasomotor menopausal symptoms and risk of cardiovascular disease: a pooled analysis of six prospective studies. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2020; 223(6): 898.e1-16. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32585222
Zhu D, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Pandeya N, Brunner EJ, Kuh D, Greenwood DC, Hardy R, Cade JE, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Demakakos P, Simonsen MK, Sandin S, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Type of menopause, age of menopause and variations in the risk of incident cardiovascular disease: pooled analysis of individual data from 10 international studies. Human Reproduction 2020; 35(8):1933-43. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32563191
Anderson DJ, Chung HF, Seib CA, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Brunner EJ, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Greendale GA, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Yoshizawa T, Mishra GD. Obesity, smoking, and risk of vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a pooled analysis of eight cohort studies. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2020; 222(5):478.e1-17. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3170588
Zhu D, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Pandeya N, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Brunner EJ, Kuh D, Hardy R, Avis NE, Gold EB, Derby CA, Matthews KA, Cade JE, Greenwood DC, Demakakos P, Brown DE, Sievert LL, Anderson D, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Tillin T, Simonsen MK, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Age at natural menopause and risk of incident cardiovascular disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data. Lancet Public Health 2019; 4(11):e553-64. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31588031
Zhu D, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Hardy R, Kuh D, Brunner EJ, Bruinsma F, Giles GG, Demakakos P, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Hayashi K, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Premenopausal cardiovascular disease and age at natural menopause: a pooled analysis of over 170,000 women. European Journal of Epidemiology 2019; 34(3):235-46. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3072137
Dunneram Y, Chung HF, Cade JE, Greenwood DC, Dobson AJ, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Brunner EJ, Yoshizawa T, Anderson D, Mishra GD. Soy intake and vasomotor menopausal symptoms among midlife women: a pooled analysis of five studies from the InterLACE consortium. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2019; 73(11):1501-11. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30718804
Mishra GD, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Kuh D, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Anderson D, Brown DE, Sievert LL, Brunner EJ, Demakakos P, Cade JE, Greenwood DC, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Cooper R, Hardy R, Tillin T, Obermeyer CM, Simonsen MK, Canonico M, Ancelin ML, Schoenaker DAJM, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Dobson AJ. Variations in reproductive events across life: a pooled analysis of data from 505,147 women across ten countries. Human Reproduction 2019; 34(5):881-93. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30835788
Zhu D, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, JE Cade, Greenwood DC, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Anderson D, Brown DE, Sievert LL, Brunner EJ, Kuh D, Hardy R, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Tillin T, Simonsen MK, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Canonico M, Ancelin ML, Demakakos P, Mishra GD. Relationships between intensity, duration, cumulative dose, and timing of smoking with age at menopause: a pooled analysis of individual data from 17 observational studies. PLOS Medicine 2018; 15(11):e1002704. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30481189
Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Brunner EJ, Crawford SL, Avis NE, Gold EB, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Bromberger JT, Thurston RC, Joffe H, Yoshizawa T, Anderson D, Mishra GD. The role of sleep difficulties in the vasomotor menopausal symptoms and depressed mood relationships: an international pooled analysis of eight studies in the InterLACE consortium. Psychological Medicine 2018; 48(15):2550-61. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29429422
Pandeya N, Huxley RR, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Hardy R, Cade JE, Greenwood DC, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Demakakos P, Simonsen MK, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Mishra GD. Female reproductive history and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective analysis of 126,721 women. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 2018; 20(9):2103-12. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29696756
Zhu D, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Kuh D, Crawford SL, Gold EB, Avis NE, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Greenwood DC, Cade JE, Mitchell ES, Woods NF, Brunner EJ, Simonsen MK, Mishra GD. Body mass index and age at natural menopause: an international pooled analysis of 11 prospective studies. European Journal of Epidemiology 2018; 33(8):699-710. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29460096
Mishra GD, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Chung HF, Anderson D, Kuh D, Sandin S, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Cade JE, Burley V, Greenwood DC, Goodman A, Simonsen MK, Adami HO, Demakakos P, Weiderpass E. InterLACE study team. Early menarche, nulliparity, and the risk for premature and early natural menopause. Human Reproduction 2017; 32(3):679-86. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28119483
Mishra GD, Chung HF, Pandeya N, Dobson AJ, Jones L, Avis NE, Crawford SL, Gold EB, Brown D, Sievert LL, Brunner E, Cade JE, Burley VJ, Greenwood DC, Giles GG, Bruinsma F, Goodman A, Hayashi K, Lee JS, Mizunuma H, Kuh D, Cooper R, Hardy R, Obermeyer CM, Lee KA, Simonsen MK, Yoshizawa T, Woods NF, Mitchell ES, Hamer M, Demakakos P, Sandin S, Adami HO, Weiderpass E, Anderson D. The InterLACE study: design, data harmonization and characteristics across 20 studies on women’s health. Maturitas 2016; 92:176-85. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27621257
Mishra GD, Anderson D, Schoenaker DAJM, Adami HO, Avis NE, Brown D, Bruinsma F, Brunner E, Cade JE, Crawford SL, Dobson AJ, Elliott J, Giles GG, Gold EB, Hayashi K, Kuh D, Lee KA, Lee JS, Melby MK, Mizunuma H, Sievert LL, Weiderpass E. InterLACE: A new International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Women’s Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events. Maturitas 2013; 74:235-40. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23313437

Systematic reviews

Liang C, Chung HF, Dobson AJ, Mishra GD. Infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and the risk of stroke among women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Stroke 2022; 53(2):328-37. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34983235
Mishra SR, Waller M, Chung HF, Mishra GD. Epidemiological studies of the association between reproductive lifespan characteristics and risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension: a systematic review. Maturitas 2022; 155:14-23. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34876245
Chung HF, Gete DG, Mishra GD. Age at menopause and risk of lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas 2021; 153:1-10. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34654521
Mishra SR, Chung HF, Waller M, Mishra GD. Duration of estrogen exposure during reproductive years, age at menarche and age at menopause, and risk of cardiovascular disease events, all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 2021; 128(5):809-21. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32965759

Methodology

Research impact

The Lancet series on Menopause (2024): An empowerment model for managing menopause
The Lancet series on Menopause (2024): Optimising health after early menopause
The Lancet series on Menopause (2024): Promoting good mental health over the menopausal transition
The Lancet series on Menopause (2024): Managing menopause after cancer
Evidence review: Queensland women and girls’ health (2023) – informing the development of the Queensland Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2023-2032
The NHMRC impact case study (2020) – Women’s reproductive health (InterLACE): case study
EMAS position statement (2019): Predictors of premature and early natural menopause
The current state of women’s health in Australia (2018) – informing the development of the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030

Media releases

[InSight+] Premature and early menopause: the overlooked risk in endometriosis
[The Guardian] People with endometriosis more likely to experience early menopause
[News GP] Early menopause risk for endometriosis patients
[Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal] Endometriosis linked to premature and early menopause
[The Conversation] What’s the difference between miscarriage and stillbirth?
[The Conversation] Women are at greater risk of stroke, the more miscarriages or stillbirths they’ve had
[InSight+] Stillbirths and miscarriages increase risk of stroke later in life
[UQ News] Recurrent pregnancy loss linked to increased stroke risk later in life
[World Stroke Academy] The Paper of the Month March: Infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and the risk of stroke among women
[UQ News] Early menstruation linked to increased menopause symptoms
[Australasian Menopause Society] Australian study links early menstruation to increased menopause symptoms
[UQ News] Hot flushes and night sweats linked to 70 per cent increase in cardiovascular disease
[Daily Mail] Women who suffer hot flushes and night sweats are at much higher risk of suffering heart attacks, angina and strokes, study reveals
[News GP] Study links hot flushes, night sweats to CVD in women
[Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal] Early menopause increases risk of cardiovascular event
[UQ News] Women encouraged to maintain weight and quit smoking to reduce menopause symptoms
[UQ News] Early menopause predictor of heart disease
[News GP] Premature menopause increases cardiovascular disease
[UQ News] Trends in women’s reproductive events reflect major social and lifestyle changes
[Oxford University Press] Starting menstrual periods at a young age and childlessness increase risk of premature and early menopause
[Australasian Menopause Society] Early age menstrual periods increases risk of premature and early menopause
[UQ News] Women with early periods at increased risk of early or premature menopause
[UQ News] Weight plays a role in menopause age

Conferences

17th World Congress on Endometriosis, 2027, Istanbul, Turkey
20th World Congress on Menopause, 20 September - 3 October 2025, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
12th Society of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders Annual Congress, 9-11 April 2026, Frankfurt, Germany
16th World Congress on Endometriosis, 21-24 May 2025, Sydney, Australia
19th World Congress on Menopause, 19-22 October 2024, Melbourne, Australia
Queensland Women’s Health Forum, 11-12 July 2024, Brisbane, Australia
Queensland Women’s Health Forum, 12-13 September 2022, Toowoomba, Australia
17^th World Congress on Menopause, 30 April ‒ 3 May 2020, Melbourne, Australia
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting, 13‒16 October 2019, Melbourne, Australia
12^th European Congress on Menopause and Andropause ‒ Managing Midlife Health and Beyond in the Era of e-Medicine, 15‒17 May 2019, Berlin, Germany [Presentation title: Causes and consequences of premature and early menopause: results from the InterLACE consortium ‒ Professor Gita Mishra]

InterLACE: International collaboration for a Life course Approach to reproductive health andChronic disease Events

Contact

Professor Gita Mishra

Professor Annette Dobson

Dr Hsin-Fang Chung

Ms Megan Ferguson

Dr Chen Liang

Professor Debra Anderson