title: Pattern of menarche age (normal, early and late) and its relationship with some demographic characteristics in girls and their parents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Menarche age is an indicator of a girl's puberty besides the clinical assessment of detecting deviations. This study aimed to search the pattern of menarche age (normal, early and late) and its relationship with some demographic characteristics in girls and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was done on girls aged between 9 and 18 years old in Shiraz city. About 2000 students were selected through cluster sampling. Data collection was done by applying a demographic information form. Finally, the data were analyzed using SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  About 1386 students (69.3%) had the history of menarche (at least once). The mean age of menarche was 12.26±1.11 years in Shiraz. The menarche age of the girls ranged from 9 years (as the least) to 15 (as the maximum). The prevalence of late menarche was 1.1%. In addition, no early menarche was reported. There was no relationship between menarche age and economic status, birth order and number of children, but a significant relationship was found between the parents' education, house status, and the lifestyle of parents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean menarche age has been decreasing in cities. Therefore, it seems necessary for the families to be aware about the influence of time, trend and affecting factors on menarche; this helps them to make good decisions when educating their teenagers.
authors: Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Naeimeh
authors: N
authors: Tayebi
authors: Community Based Psychiatric Care Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Yazdznpanahi
authors: Psychiatric Nursing Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Shahrzad
authors: S
authors: Yektatalab
authors: Maternal -Fetal Medicine Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, Phone: +0711-6474250, Fax: +0711-647425.
authors: Marzieh
authors: M
authors: Akbarzadeh
authors: Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Najaf
authors: N
authors: Zare
keywords: demographic characteristics; menarche age; menarche type; students