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Menarche
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Menarche is the first menstrual period, or first menstrual bleeding. From both social and medical perspectives it is often considered the central event of female puberty, as it signals the possibility of fertility. Menarche is the most commonly remembered milestone of puberty for most women. Menarche can occur within a wide range of ages, and the timing is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The average age of menarche in the United Statesis about 12 years and 8 months, which is a few months earlier than fifty years ago.
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Menarche is another name for the beginning of menstruation. In the United States, the average age a girl starts menstruating is 12. However, this does not mean that all girls start at the same age. A girl can begin menstruating anytime between the ages of 8 and 16. Menstruation will not occur until all parts of a girl's reproductive system have matured and are working together.
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Menarche usually occurs about two years after your breasts develop (thelarche) and between 4 and 6 months after the growth of your pubic and underarm hair. The age of menarche in most North American women is around 12 or 13, though your first period can come anytime between 9 and 16, depending upon your height, weight, and cultural background. Early menarche is occurring more and more - girls as young as 8 have been known to get their periods. This is referred to as premature menarche. Girls who haven’t gotten their period by the age of 16 are described as experiencing primary amenorrhea. Sometimes external factors or complications may prevent your period from arriving when it should.
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Menarche marks a young adolescent girl's advancement into womanhood. Menarche is a young woman's first menstrual period. Every woman has her own story of when and where this marker event occurred. In a healthy relationship, mothers and daughters both will anticipate a girl's menarche. It is generally the mother's role to prepare for her daughter's future menarche by educating her about her body.
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Menarche often is acknowledged by family or community rituals, recognizing the adolescent's entrance into womanhood and sexual potential. Challenges of adolescence for a girl include incorporating the new status and potential into her self-concept and coping with reactions of family and peers.
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Menarche is celebrated in many cultures around the world as a time to recognise that a girl is moving into womanhood. It may be considered a rite of passage. Some traditions mark this event with gifts of red articles or a meal of special symbolic foods.
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