Abstract
BackgroundEvidence from a number of countries in Europe and North America point towards the secular declining trend in menarcheal age with considerable spatial variations over the past two centuries. Similar trends were reported in several developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America. However, data corroborating any secular trend in the menarcheal age of the Indian population remained sparse and inadequately verified.MethodsWe examined secular trends, regional heterogeneity and association of socioeconomic, anthropometric and contextual factors with menarcheal age among ever-married women (15–49 years) in India. Using the pseudo cohort data approach, we fit multiple linear regression models to estimate secular trends in menarcheal age of 91394 ever-married women using the Indian Human Development Survey.ResultsThe mean age at menarche among Indian women was 13.76 years (95 % CI: 13.75, 13.77) in 2005. It declined by three months from 13.83 years (95% CI: 13.81, 13.85) among women born prior to 1955–1964, to nearly 13.62 years (95% CI: 13.58, 13.67) among women born during late 1985–1989. However, these aggregate national figures mask extensive spatial heterogeneity as mean age at menarche varied from 15.0 years in Himachal Pradesh during 1955–1964 (95% CI: 14.89–15.11) to about 12.1 years in Assam (95% CI: 11.63–12.56) during 1985–1989.ConclusionThe regression analysis established a reduction of nearly one month per decade, suggesting a secular decline in age at menarche among Indian women. Notably, the menarcheal age was significantly associated with the area of residence, geographic region, linguistic groups, educational attainment, wealth status, caste and religious affiliations among Indian women.
Highlights
The age at menarche-the onset of first menses/periods- that heralds sexual maturation and passage from childhood to adolescence among women demonstrated a secular declining trend over the past two centuries across the globe [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11]
The regression analysis established a reduction of nearly one month per decade, suggesting a secular decline in age at menarche among Indian women
The menarcheal age was significantly associated with the area of residence, geographic region, linguistic groups, educational attainment, wealth status, caste and religious affiliations among Indian women
Summary
The age at menarche-the onset of first menses/periods- that heralds sexual maturation and passage from childhood to adolescence among women demonstrated a secular declining trend over the past two centuries across the globe [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. Studies have focused on serious societal challenges that have arisen out of the growing mismatch between early menarche induced biological maturation and subsequent psychosocial maturation [25]. These findings clearly underscore the wider public health concern emanating from the secular declining trend in age at menarche, in developing countries undergoing rapid demographic, socioeconomic and nutritional transitions [26,27]. Evidence from a number of countries in Europe and North America point towards the secular declining trend in menarcheal age with considerable spatial variations over the past two centuries. Data corroborating any secular trend in the menarcheal age of the Indian population remained sparse and inadequately verified
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