[Onset of menarche and the course of menstrual cycles in female athletes in Youth Training Centers in Slovakia].

The authors characterize girls in youth Training Centres in Slovakia from the medical anthropometric, somatotypological and locomotor aspect and recorded the time of menarche and course of the menstrual cycle. 1. The group comprised 107 girls, mean age 13.69 years who specialized in different sports: tennis players, skiers (cross country skiing), high mountain skiers, synchronized swimmers, gymnasts, swimmers. 2. The mean daily load was 4-5 hours and together with competitions during weekends 800 hours per year. 3. Tennis players, gymnasts and swimmers started regular training at preschool age and the time of menarche varied. At an age above 12.5 years menarche was not recorded in high mountain skiers and swimmers. At a mean age above 13 menarche was recorded in tennis players, synchronized swimmers and gymnasts but not always in the whole group. The latest time of menarche was recorded in cross country skiers. In the menstrual cycle regularities and irregularities, dysmenorrhoea, premenstrual tension and sacralgia were recorded. As some girls did not enter menarche yet it is not possible to evaluate conclusively the influence of intensive physical training on the organism of girls. 4. The authors compared all assembled results with results in the available literature. 5. The authors proceed with the described investigations.