Menarche and menstrual function in patients with myelomeningocele

The aim of this study was to assess menarchal age, to clarify the role of heredity in the timing of menarche, and to examine the management of menses in girls and young women with myelomeningocele. All female patients aged three years or older attending a tertiary-care hospital clinic were eligible. A questionnaire was administered to each menstruating patient and, when possible, a menstruating sibling control. Most biological descriptors of menses were comparable for patients and sibling controls, but management of menses, routine gynecological care and attitudes about family planning differed. Girls with myelomeningocele menstruated significantly earlier than the US mean (10.25 years); as did the girls' mothers (11.91 years), but not their sisters. This finding may have biological significance, and a larger sample size is needed to confirm or refute it.