SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF EARLY, NORMAL, AND DELAYED MENARCHE AMONG FEMALE COLLEGE-AGED STUDENTS IN BANGLADESH

The onset of menstruation in adolescence is an important part of the maturational process. However, menstrual disorders are common in all parts of the society. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that infl uence the menarcheal age of adult female students in Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Methods: The data was collected from 1000 female students at Rajshahi University using a purposive sampling technique with direct interview method. The cross-sectional data was used for univariate analysis, to carry out the description of the variables and their attributes on data in list; and bivariate analysis, to fi nd 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 whereas, most of the respondents (69.2%) suffered menstrual pain. The menarcheal age is signifi cantly associated with their living areas. The association between age at menarche and socioeconomic factors was found to be statistically signifi cant. The students having lower mean age at menarche live in urban areas with high family income than that of rural areas and middle or low family income group. Conclusion and Implications for Translations: Most of the respondents were experienced early menarche and suffered from menstrual pain. The sociodemographic factors were found signifi cantly associated with age at menarche. Information on the factors that infl uence the menarcheal age of adult female students and related issues on reproductive health need special attention.