[Age of menarche and menstruation characteristics of Puerto Rican women athletes].

The purpose of this study was to determine and describe the chronological age, age at menarche (AM), age at initiation of training (AIT), years dedicated to training (YDT), selected menstrual characteristics, use of oral contraceptives, family size (FZ), birth order (BO), martial status, and number of children relative to sport of Puerto Rican women athletes. Fifty five (55) women athletes (track and field n = 6, basketball n = 7, gymnastics n = 5, synchronized swimming n = 9, swimming n = 5, softball n = 14, tennis n = 4 [field tennis n = 2, table tennis n = 2], and volleyball n = 5) members of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee delegation to the XV Central American and Caribbean Games were interview. The M +/- sd of the variables were as follows: age = 21.0 +/- 5.3 years, AIT = 11.4 +/- 4.3 years, YDT = 9.6 +/- 4.4 years, AM = 13.2 +/- 1.6 years, BO = 2.7 +/- 1.3, y FZ = 3.7 +/- 1.9. Five percent of the sample (gymnasts = 2, swimmers = 1) had not attained menarche at the time of the study. The prevalence for menstrual irregularity and dysmenorrhea was 44.2 and 40.4%, respectively. With respect to the degree of certainty in the recall of age of menarche: 61.5% were very certain, 25% certain, and 13.5% uncertain. The prevalence of the use of oral contraceptives was 7.3%. In conclusion, the results are within the range of those reported for olympic athletes.