Early periods in girls: Doctor explains its impact on the growth spurt

Unlike in the past, these days, girls from the age of eight onwards are getting their menarche or the first period. The range goes up to 16 years, though the average age group seems to be 8 to 13. Many nutritional, health and socio-economic factors are responsible for this trend and medical evaluation is also often recommended if a girl gets a very early or late period. The early onset of puberty, especially, raises several questions in the minds of parents. Will the daughter lose her height growth spurt? Will her 'good ovum' or eggs run out by the time she decides to have babies? Will it take a toll on her health? Here's everything you need to know.

Will their growth spurt get affected?
A growth spurt is a period of physical growth in which a child gains muscle mass, height and weight during a brief timeframe to transform into an adult. The adolescent growth spurt can occur at different times for different people. Just because a girl got an early period, it need not show a sudden stop sign for her growth. She can grow for a few more additional centimetres or inches after menarche. There is also a myth that an early period may result in poor bone health. However, this is also generally not true.

Will the girl's good eggs run out?
While it's true that a female body loses immature eggs every month, leading up to adolescence, and continues to lose them during their mature years, ovulating from an early age does not mean she will deplete her supply of good eggs while she is young. The mature ovulatory cycles stabilise around the ages of 21 or 22 in those who had early periods. Only by then will their internal organs fully mature and establish consistent ovulatory cycles.
(Dr Anoop Krishnan is a Senior Consultant of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Mar Sleeva Medicity, Palai)