Investigating Brown Adipose Tissue Activity Across Different Reproductive Stages in Women: Effects of Menstrual Cyclicity, Hormonal Contraceptives, and Menopause

Changes in hormonal milieu coincide with altered energy homeostasis and metabolic activity across key reproductive milestones in women, including puberty, pregnancy and the menopausal transition. These changes commonly manifest as weight gain and alterations in glucose (blood sugar) control. Despite this, mechanistic pathways that underpin these changes are not well-understood. The current thesis demonstrates that menstrual cyclicity, hormonal contraceptives and reproductive ageing alter brown adipose tissue function, which may lead to weight gain and impaired glycaemic control. It is imperative to drive research to bridge disparity in the factors that influence changes in metabolic and glucose homeostasis, and therefore improve the quality of life in women across the world.