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Age at menarche and prevalence of preterm birth: Results from the Healthy Baby Cohort study

Hui Li1, Lulu Song1, Lijun Shen1

  • 1Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China.

Scientific Reports
|October 5, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Early menstruation, before age 11, is linked to a higher risk of preterm birth. This finding can help identify women needing closer monitoring for pregnancy complications.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Epidemiology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The relationship between age at menarche and preterm birth remains under-investigated.
  • Understanding this association is crucial for identifying at-risk pregnancies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of age at menarche on the incidence of preterm birth.
  • To determine if earlier menarche is a risk factor for delivering prematurely.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study involving 11,016 Chinese women in Hubei province (2012-2014).
  • Age at menarche was self-reported and categorized; preterm birth defined as <37 weeks gestation.
  • Logistic regression analysis was employed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Main Results:

  • Women with menarche at age 11 years or younger had a significantly increased risk of preterm birth (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.18, 2.36) compared to those with menarche at 13 years.
  • This association persisted after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Earlier age at menarche, particularly at or before 11 years, is associated with a higher likelihood of preterm birth.
  • Identifying women with early menarche can aid in proactive risk assessment and management during pregnancy.

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