According to a recent study published in JAMA Network, girls are getting their periods sooner. The study was conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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Early menarche is becoming more common in young girls than it was in past decades; this change is linked to unfavorable health outcomes in the long run.
According to a recent study that was published on May 29 in JAMA Network Open, the percentage of girls who begin menstruating before the age of 11 has increased over time, and the median age of menarche has been mostly constant at about 12 years.
The onset of the monthly hormonal cycle and the reproductive lifespan is signified by the menarche or the first menstrual period. It also marks the conclusion of female puberty.
The Apple Women’s Health Study, conducted by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, looked at data from over 71,000 American women who were born between 1950 and 2005. These women came from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities. Their objectives were to ascertain the age at which these ladies had their first menstrual cycle and the duration of time it took for the cycle to regularize.
According to the survey, compared to roughly 9% of women born between 1950 and 1969, nearly 16% of women born between 2000 and 2005 began their menstrual cycles between the ages of 9 and 11. Furthermore, women who continue to have irregular menstrual periods for three years or longer following menarche are becoming increasingly common, according to research findings.
individuals who were Asian, Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, or of other or multiple races or ethnicities were consistently more likely than non-Hispanic white individuals to experience early menarche when trends were stratified by race and ethnicity.
Based on a selection of 9,865 people, an exploratory analysis determined that body mass index, which calculates body fat based on height and weight, might account for 46% of the trend. The scientists pointed out that child obesity rates are rising in the US and that obesity is a risk factor for early puberty, which may account for the trend toward earlier menarche. The extent to which variations in early BMI impact the pattern is uncertain, though. For the remaining 54% of people, the reason why they menarche early is yet unknown.
Menstrual Cycle Considered Vital Sign of Health
The menstrual cycle is regarded by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as a crucial indicator of general health, and any abnormalities may point to underlying problems such as thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances, or other illnesses. Because uterine immune cells experience significant changes and aid in the thickening and thinning of the uterine lining, the menstrual cycle also affects the immune system.
Girls usually get their first period between the ages of 12 and 13, according to ACOG, but regular menstrual cycles require several years to develop. Teenagers may have irregular periods until then as their bodies get used to the changing hormonal rhythms.
Early Periods May Cause Health Problems
The new study is part of a growing body of research that correlates an earlier menarche and a later time to regularity with a higher risk of several health issues, including diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, metabolic disorders, malignancies, cardiovascular illnesses, and all-cause mortality.
An earlier menarche in females and a longer period to establish menstrual regularity were linked to a higher risk of mortality from all causes and cause-specific causes, according to a 2021 study published in the Annals of Epidemiology. Compared to girls who had their first period at age 13, those who started their period at age 11 or younger had a higher chance of dying from diabetes, breast cancer, and other malignancies.
According to a 2021 study published in Cancer Research, middle-aged women who experience early menstrual onset are more likely to develop seven different types of cancer as a result of early exposure to sex hormones.
According to a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis published in PLOS Medicine, girls who menarche earlier in life are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and have poorer glucose tolerance as adults.
An earlier age of menarche is linked to an increased risk of endometrial cancer, according to a meta-analysis of eight prospective studies comprising 4,553 participants who had endometrial cancer. The same authors’ earlier research also discovered a “statistically significant inverse association” between later menarcheal age and ovarian cancer.
Research also indicates that early menarche may increase a child’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis. An unfavorable menstrual cycle with a delayed onset is accompanied by a 36 percent decrease in the risk of receiving a multiple sclerosis diagnosis for every year that menarche is delayed, according to a prospective study conducted in Canada.
Last year, GreatGameIndia reported that the Weizmann Institute of Science published a study in PLOS Biology revealing that women’s tears lower testosterone and aggression in men.
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