Differences in anthropometric and ultrasonographic parameters between adolescent girls with regular and irregular menstrual cycles: a case-study of 835 cases.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Exploring the relation between the age, time since menarche, anthropometric parameters and the growth of the uterus and ovaries in postmenarcheal girls.

DESIGN

Cross sectional.

SETTING

Department of Human reproduction at a tertiary pediatric referral center.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight hundred thirty-five adolescent girls.

INTERVENTIONS

Postmenarcheal girls were classified according to the regularity of their menstrual cycles in 2 groups (regular and irregular cycles) and compared. Anthropometric measurements and ultrasonographic examination of the pelvis was conducted with all participants.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Anthropometric and ultrasonographic parameters were evaluated.

RESULTS

Results of our study showed that girls with regular and irregular cycles differed in height, weight, body mass index, percentage of body fat and ovarian volumes. The size of the ovaries decreases in the group of girls with regular cycles (r = 0.14; P < .005), while it increases in girls with irregular cycles (r = 0.15; P < .001) with advancing age. Uterine volume in all patients increases gradually with age reaching consistent values at 16 years (r = 0.5; P < .001). Age at menarche, the time elapsed since menarche, the height, weight, body mass index and percentage of body fat in patients correlated with uterine volume. Ovarian volume correlated with patients' weight, BMI and percentage of fat.

CONCLUSION

Uterus continues to grow in postmenarcheal years, with increasing height and weight of girls, regardless of the regularity of cycles. Postmenarcheal girls with irregular cycles were found to have heavier figures and larger ovaries.