For girls, starting their period is inevitable. But the age when a child’s period begins, called menarche, can tell them a little about their health later in life.
Menarche that begins “anytime between the age of 10 and 14 is considered normal,” Dr. Anne-Marie Amies Oelschlager, pediatric and adolescent gynecologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. “The average age in the U.S. most recently has been around age 12. But in some recent studies, it has actually dipped even to 11.”
Most American girls, 98%, will start their periods by age 15, she adds. Children who start periods at a younger age within the normal range can experience some “adverse effects long term.”
“Ideally, you want your period to come in the typical range,” says Amies Oelschlager, a fellow with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
