The Age At Menarche In Nigerian Adolescents From Two Different Socioeconomic Classes

• Main Author: Zuleat Millicent Ofuya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Light House Polyclinic Mangalore 2008-01-01
• Series: Online Journal of Health & Allied Sciences
• Subjects: Age; Adolescents; Menarche; Nigeria
• Online Access: http://www.ojhas.org/issue24/2007-4-3.htm

Menarcheal age was studied in 900 girls, half of which were from middle class families and the other half from low income class families from the Niger delta region of Nigeria. A retrospective and descriptive random sampling study was conducted through the use of questionnaires. Social class was based on parental occupation. The mean age at menarche for girls from middle class families was 12.22 ± 1.19 years while that for girls from low income families was 13.01 ± 1.44 years. Most of the children from the middle class families attained menarche at the ages of 12 and 13 while those from the low income families attained menarche at the ages of 12, 13 and 14 years. The age at menarche of girls from middle class families was significantly lower than those of girls from the low socioeconomic class and is similar to those obtained for U.S. girls The age of menarche of girls from low income families is lower than a result of similar study obtained for rural India.