Investigation on the age of menarche and its related factorsinsecondary school girl students in Birjand-Iran

Abstract

Introduction: menarche is a remarkable phenomenon during the
stages of female puberty. Predicting the correct time of puberty in girls
makes it possible to provide them with the necessary knowledge in this
field.

Method: This cross-sectional study was performed on 400 middle
school girls 11 to 14 years of age in Birjand using interviews and
anthropometric measurement methods. Samples were selected by two-stage random sampling. The data collection tool was a questionnaire
including demographic characteristics, the age of menarche, and
anthropometrics. The content validity of the questionnaire was
confirmed by several faculty members and its reliability was confirmed
using retesting and calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data were
analyzed using SPSS software and independent t-test, analysis of
variance and Pearson correlation coefficient were used, and p≤0.05 was
considered as a significant level.

Results: Based on the findings of this study, the mean age of menarche
in Birjand was 12.13±1.19 years. The mean body mass index was
20.3±3.8 kg/m2
. A significant relationship was found between menarche
age and body mass index (p≤0.001). In other words, girls with normal
body mass experience menarche age later than girls who are overweight
and obese.

Conclusion: The average age of menarche in Birjand is lower than other
regions of the country which is the result of different climatic
conditions, improving health and social conditions, and improving
nutritional status.