The determination of average onset of puberte and menarche age and the factors affecting menarche of girls living in Aydin

AIM: The adolescent period is the physical, hormonal, spiritual and social process from childhood to being adult. Menarche, as being first menstrual cycle and an important part of growth, is the chronological age that indicates the girls' biological maturation. Last investigations emphasize that the early thelarche is not equalised with the early menarche. The aim of the current study is to determine the onset of puberty and menarche ages and to indicate the factors affecting menarche of girls living in Aydın. MATERIAL-METHOD: Research group consisted of 1891 girls (aged from 8 to 16) who are educated at primary, secondary and high schools in Aydin. The research was planned as a cross-sectional study. The city of Aydin was divided into five religion (East, West, North, South and center) depending on the the socioeconomic factors and geographic settlement. A survey was prepared according to the literature and was delivered to students' families by sealed tender. Medical puberte examination according to Tanner upstaging and height, body mass measurements were done by experienced doctors to the cases who accepted to participate in the study. BMI values were calculated. RESULTS: 1520 girls who had education on 2014-2015 school year and aged 8 to 16 participated in the current study by receiving their families' permission. Mean age of menarche (AOM) was found as 12.11±1.32 years. Mothers had 13.12±1.46 years of AOM and sisters' AOM was 12.73±1.25 years. June was assigned to be the most frequently first menarche seen month. Children who lived in countryside was found to have earlier menarche age. The onset of puberte age was found as 9.71 ± 1.46 years. CONCLUSION: This study is important as being the first study in the region of Aydın and in terms of determining the onset of menarche and puberte age on girls aged 8 to 16. The results of the current study refer that menarche age is getting earlier but onset of puberte is not. AOM and AOP show similarities with other studies in neighbor regions . We believe that larger-scaled investigations will help to determine real Turkey average. Keywords: onset of puberte, menarche age