Views

Menarche – the start of the first menstrual cycle – occurs in most girls between the ages of 10 and 16; however, there is a wide range of variance. Precocious puberty has traditionally been described as any pubertal development happening before eight. Studies suggest that menarche appears earlier in life when a society’s sanitary, nutritional, and economic conditions improve. It’s also been suggested that the decline in menarche age before the mid-1960s was due to “positive” factors such as better nutrition. Still, the decrease since then has been linked to “negative” factors like overeating, lack of physical activity, and potentially even chemical pollution.

Increase in overweight and obesity, as measured by body mass index, are thought to be the cause of trends toward earlier puberty and menarche. Dr Sarada M, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist at Yashoda Hospitals in Somajiguda, Hyderabad, has noted that if girls develop their period before the age of 8, it is early menarche, and they should consult a doctor. But if a girl starts her period before the age of 6, it is alarming, and she should be evaluated.

Early pubertal development is a significant medical and social issue since it can lead to higher morbidity and mortality later. Early menarche is also linked to increased cardiovascular risk in adulthood and an increased chance of breast cancer. According to a study, women who have their first period when they are 11 or younger are more likely to reach menopause before the age of 40. The process of menopause can result in unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes, exhaustion, and bone loss. Moreover, early menopause may increase the risk of health issues such as Polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes, and endometriosis.

Early pubertal onset has been linked to increased anxiety, body image problems, weight gain, and the development of eating disorders. Furthermore, early adolescent exploratory behaviours might lead to misinformed risk-taking in the lack of psychological maturity.

Therefore, researchers advise that women be aware of early menstruation as a potential health risk factor. Factors connected to early menarche underline the importance of focusing attention on early-matured girls to prevent subsequent health concerns associated with risk behaviours. Physical activity has been demonstrated to improve women’s quality of life and may be a practical approach in avoiding symptoms.Hormone replacement treatment is another option for preventing causes associated with early menstruation.