The Influence of Age at Menarche on the Menstrual Pattern of Polish University Students

PurposeThe aim of the study was to examine the relationships between age at menarche and menstrual cycle characteristics in young female subjects.MethodsAnthropometric measurements were performed, and questionnaire data were collected from 1,323 women, aged 19–25 years.ResultsNo differences were found in terms of cycle duration or the number of days of bleeding between women with early, average, or late menarche. Each of those groups had a similar percentage of women who declared that their cycles last longer than 35 days, those who declared that their cycles are shorter than 21 days, and those who reported prolonged bleeding. Irregular cycles were associated with late age at menarche. Women with early age at menarche complained about menstrual cramps more frequently. The existence of a relationship between age at menarche and menstrual cycle disorders was confirmed by the results of logistic regression.ConclusionsBoth early and late age at menarche are associated with increased risk of menstrual cycle disorders.