Study Finds Early Onset of Puberty in Girls | MDedge Family Medicine
From both social and medical perspectives, it is often considered the central event of female puberty , as it signals the possibility of fertility. Girls experience menarche at different ages. The timing of menarche is influenced by female biology , as well as genetic and environmental factors , especially nutritional factors. The mean age of menarche has declined over the last century, but the magnitude of the decline and the factors responsible remain subjects of contention.
When Should Early Puberty for Girls Be Cause for Concern?
DENVER — A majority of girls start puberty before age 10 years, according to researchers for a longitudinal study who found young ages for onset of breast and pubic hair development. Louise C. Greenspan said at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, where she presented data for the first 5 years.
Puberty is considered a milestone in any person's physical development, marking the transition from childhood to adulthood. It can occur in children as young as two years old. In approximately 90 per cent of girls and 50 per cent of boys who experience precocious puberty, no underlying cause can be identified - in which case it is referred to by medical experts as idiopathic precocious puberty.