[Sexual development: development of secondary sex characteristics--Tanner stages 25 years later]

In a longitudinal study the british pediatrician J.M. Tanner evaluated the development of breasts (thelarche), of pubic hairs (pubarche) and age of menarche. In Hungary we did a similar evaluation in 680 girls in the years 1980 to 1986. Comparing these data in a cross-sectional study with similar data from Münster we named the results central-european study. The results are similar the Tanner ones exceptionally the duration of breast development, which was shorter than in the hitherto published longitudinal studies. Mean age of menarche in our study was 12.5 years compared with 13.5 years in the former ones. This is not a confirmation to acceleration of puberty, because in other countries age of menarche was stabile. Additionally, to thelarche, pubarche and menarche we collected data about axillarche.