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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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Girls in the United States are getting their periods earlier, and it's taking longer for them to become regular, according to a study.
The age at which women get their first period, known scientifically as "menarche," is influenced by a range of genetic and environmental factors. While some variation is natural and normal, we are increasingly learning that early-onset puberty is associated with an increased risk of various adverse health outcomes, including heart problems, lung disease, and dementia.
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This is concerning as, according to research from Harvard University, the average age of a first period in the United States has decreased from 12.5 to 11.9. What's more, the number of girls whose first period is classified as "early" (under the age of 11) has nearly doubled, and it's taking longer for their monthly cycles to stabilize.
"Both early menarche and longer time to regular cycles have been found to be associated with higher risk of many adverse health outcomes," first author Zifan Wang told Newsweek. "In particular, longer time to regularity has been associated with lower fecundability [the probability of achieving a pregnancy in a menstrual cycle], longer menstrual cycles, and increased risk of metabolic conditions and all-cause mortality."
The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from over 71,000 American females born between 1950 and 2005, including information about their menstrual cycles, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and body mass index (BMI).
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In a separate analysis, the team found that higher BMI at the age of the first period explained roughly half this variation. This makes sense because, for periods to start, you need to have a baseline level of body fat. As childhood obesity has risen, children are reaching this body fat requirement earlier.
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But how can we explain the other half of this variation?
"We need to look more into other factors that may be causing earlier age at first period [and] taking longer to establish regular periods," Wang said. "Aside from BMI, these factors may include what's in the environment like chemicals that affect hormones and air pollution, or dietary patterns, stress, and adverse childhood experiences. Studying these factors could help us find better ways to stop or slow down these trends."
Previous research has shown that air pollution may be contributing to earlier puberty in girls, and microplastics have also been shown to contain hormone-disrupting chemicals that may influence when periods begin.
These trends were also particularly pronounced among Black and Asian participants and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Considering the health consequences associated with early-onset puberty, urgent research is needed to understand these trends and disparities. "Further awareness among health care practitioners and researchers is needed to understand the reasons for these trends and their health implications," the researchers wrote.
Wang added: "To address the health concerns relevant to early menarche —which our findings suggest may increasingly impact more individuals, particularly those in disadvantaged populations—we need significantly greater investment in early counseling, education around menstrual health as a vital sign, and individualized health care plans."
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Update 05/29/2024 13:34 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include original comment from Zifan Wang.
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