Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: The onset of menstruation is part of the maturation process. However, variability in menstrual cycle characteristics and menstrual disorders are common. This variability depend on many factors. Aims & Objectives: The objectives of this study was to determine the menarcheal age of school going girls and also to evaluate the effect of factors like Socio-economic status, Nutritional status, and Participation in games/ physical activity on menarcheal age in school going girls in Jhalawar.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on school going girls with age ranging from 12 to 16 years. Menarche data were obtained by the status-quo method regarding menarcheal age by asking a girl of her current status that is she has had her first menses by the time of assessment. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire on menstruation. Questionnaire included general demographic information, socioeconomic data, food habit and physical activity.
Results: Out of 353 numbers of girls 58.07% (205) were from government school and 41.93% (148) from private school. 53.46% girls form government school and 77.03% girls from private school got menarche at <13 years of age.(<0.001) Similarly girls residing in pose locality and upper socioeconomic status get early menarche than slum and lower socioeconomic status. Girls eating non- vegetarian food, milk and eggs got early menarche than the vegetarian eating girls. Also girls who took active participation [150 (84.27 %)] in games got early menarche i.e. before 13 years of age. (p<0.001) Conclusion: Girls with good nutrition and from good socioeconomic class gets early menarche than girls from lower socioeconomic and with poor nutrition. Also girls who took part in games and physical activity got early menarche. Also there are several other factors which may influence the onset age of menarche such as ethnic origin, inheritance, health status education, sexual stimulation, housing, physical activity and nutrition.