Menarche, or the first period, is not necessarily an indication of ovulation, but rather a symbol that a regular ovulation pattern will soon be established. The age of menarche varies between individuals and populations, with factors such as body fat percentage and environmental and psychosocial factors affecting it. Body fat is a predictor, with young women who don’t have enough body fat to ovulate not having or continuing to cycle until they are older. Parents planning to involve their children in any form of sex education should consider starting before menarche. Menarche is viewed as an emotional or spiritual time and may be celebrated in some cultures.
Menarche, which can be pronounced as men-are-key, is more commonly known as the first period or first menstruation. It usually doesn’t mean a girl has had her first ovulation, which typically follows the first bleed. Yet it is a symbol and a suggested probability that a normal ovulation pattern will soon be established, resulting in menstruation about once a month.
The age at which menarche occurs differs between individuals and can be different in different populations of the world. There are many things that could affect the time of your first period, and these include body fat percentage and environmental and psychosocial factors. One factor said to explain the gradual change in the age of menarche in entire populations such as that of the United States is obesity. Overall, first period age is known to have decreased in the United States, with more girls having first period earlier. Scientists are quick to point out that there is more than one reason that could explain this change.
In countries like the United States, the average age of first menstruating is less than 13, but these statistics aren’t really about an individual’s likelihood of having a period sooner or later. Instead, they are analyzes of an enormous number of girls, who can express great variations. Many girls don’t start menstruating until they’re several years older than 13, and others may hit menarche when they’re 9 or 10.
One predictor appears to be body fat; dependable young women who don’t have enough body fat to ovulate will not have or continue to cycle until they are older. For small, extremely athletic girls it is not uncommon for menarche to be delayed for several years. Additionally, extremely dedicated athletes can experience cycle disruption, called amenorrhea.
One debate that exists all the time when a first period occurs is whether ovulation occurred before it. The answer is not entirely satisfactory. Ovulation can occur before it, which means there is a certain chance of pregnancy before an early period.
While young women hopefully don’t have to think about this issue, some do, and in other cultures culturally approved sexual activity may begin much earlier. Even when the general culture or a child’s parent doesn’t approve of very young teenagers or preteens engaging in activities of this nature, that doesn’t stop it from happening. In light of these facts, parents planning to involve their children in any form of sex education should consider starting before menarche.
In addition to considering the practical aspects of the first period, many people view this as an emotional or spiritual time and may celebrate it in some way. Teenagers often wait and wait for this day, seeing it as a time when they progress towards womanhood. They can keep a score of who has had their period and who hasn’t. A thriving culture of urban legends may abound for girls interested in this subject, and parents should help verify that a daughter understands what menarche actually means.
There may be true rituals in celebrations, especially in many native cultures, but in the western world every family can create their own rituals and some ignore the matter entirely. For parents and guardians, however, there may be something sweet and sad about menarche. It means that on a basic physical level, the change from a child to a woman is taking place, even if it is by no means complete.
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