Section of Epidemiology, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK.
Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2011 Jul;25(4):394-400. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.2011.01202.x. Epub 2011 May 26.
Menarcheal age decreased over time in Western countries until cohorts born in the mid-20th century. It then stabilised, but limited data are available for recent cohorts. Menarche data were collected retrospectively by questionnaire in 2003-10 from 94,170 women who were participating in the Breakthrough Generations Study, aged 16-98 years, born 1908-93 and resident in the UK. Average menarcheal age declined from women born in 1908-19 (mean=13.5 years) to those born in 1945-49 (mean=12.6 years). It was then stable for several birth cohorts, but resumed its downward trend in recent cohorts (mean=12.3 years in 1990-93 cohort). Trends differed between socio-economic groups, but the recent decline was present in each group. In conclusion, menarcheal age appears to have decreased again in recent cohorts after a period of stabilisation.
初潮年龄在西方国家随时间推移逐渐下降，直到 20 世纪中叶出生的队列。此后，初潮年龄趋于稳定，但最近队列的数据有限。初潮数据是通过问卷调查在 2003-10 年期间从参加突破世代研究的 94170 名年龄在 16-98 岁、1908-93 年出生并居住在英国的女性中收集的。初潮年龄从 1908-19 年出生的女性（平均 13.5 岁）下降到 1945-49 年出生的女性（平均 12.6 岁）。此后，几个出生队列的初潮年龄保持稳定，但最近的队列又开始呈下降趋势（1990-93 年出生的队列平均为 12.3 岁）。社会经济群体之间的趋势存在差异，但每个群体都存在最近的下降趋势。总之，初潮年龄在稳定一段时间后，最近的队列似乎又再次下降。
