Survey study, 1999
How common are menstrual problems in teenage girls and do they relate to early puberty?
Menstrual pain was very common (69.60%), and over half the girls (51.20%) had PMS symptoms. Girls who started menstruating earlier experienced significantly more menstrual pain.
What they did
495 girls aged 12-19 from Marrakech, Morocco answered questions about their menstrual cycles, including pain, PMS symptoms, and whether periods were regular. The study looked at whether these problems related to when they started menstruating.
What they found
By age 13, 40% of girls had started menstruating. The median age at first menstruation was 13.04 years. Menstrual pain occurred in 69.60% of girls, PMS symptoms in 51.20%, and irregular periods in 23.03%. Girls who started menstruating early experienced significantly more menstrual pain.
What it means for you
Menstrual pain and PMS symptoms are very common in teenage girls. Girls who reach puberty earlier tend to have more menstrual pain, which may help doctors identify girls at higher risk who need support. However, the study was conducted only in Morocco, so findings may not apply to girls in other countries or regions.
69.60%
girls with menstrual pain
51.20%
girls with PMS symptoms
13.04
median age at first menstruation
About the study
- Original title
- Characteristics of menstrual cycles in Moroccan girls: prevalence of dysfunctions and associated behaviours
- Authors
- Montero P, Bernis C, Loukid M et al.
- Journal
- Annals of human biology
- Year
- 1999
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 495
- What was tested
- Menstrual cycle characteristics survey
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/030144699282741
Topics
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