Sociodemographic Determinants of Early, Normal, and Delayed Menarche among Female College-Aged Students in Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: The onset of menstruation in adolescence is an important part of the maturational process. However, little is known about the determinants of menarche and menstrual disorders among university students in Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the menarcheal age of adult female students in Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Methods: The data were collected from 1,000 female students at Rajshahi University using a purposive sampling technique with direct interview method. The cross-sectional data were used for univariate analysis, to describe each variable and its attributes; and bivariate analysis, to find the associations among the variables. Results: The results revealed that among the respondents more than half (54%) experienced menarche at an early age, more than one-third (37.8%) experienced menarche at normal age, and a few (8.2%) experienced menarche at a later age. The results also revealed that a few (9.2%) respondents experienced irregular menstrual cycles and, most of the respondents (69.2%) suffered menstrual pain. The menarcheal age was significantly associated with their place of residence. The association between age at menarche and socioeconomic factors was found to be statistically significant. The students having lower mean age at menarche tend to live in urban areas with high family income rather than rural areas with middle or low family income. Conclusion and Implications for Translation: Most of the respondents experienced early menarche and suffered from menstrual pain. Sociodemographic factors were found significantly associated with age at menarche. Information on the factors that influence the menarcheal age of adult female students and related issues on reproductive health need special attention.