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European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, vol.12, no.3, pp.289-293, 2007 (SCI-Expanded)
Objectives: To determine the age at menarche in adolescents in the Eastern Mediterranean city of Kahramanmaras, Turkey. Methods: The study was conducted in primary and high schools of Kahramanmaras, during the academic year 2003-2004. Data of 8212 female students were collected by using a standard questionnaire. Mean and median ages at menarche (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Also, probit analysis was performed to determine the age at menarche for all girls by estimating the age at which 10, 25, 50, 75 and 90% of the girls reached menarche. Results: According to the answers obtained through the questionnaire, 5506 (67.5%) of 8161 respondents had had their menarche. Mean age at menarche was 13.04 years (95% CI: 13.01-13.06), and median age 13.00 years (95% CI: 12.97-13.03). According to probit analyses, the probability of menstruating before the age of 11.48 years was 10% and before 15.08 years 90%. Conclusion: We provide data about age at menarche in Kahramanmaras, an Eastern Mediterranean city of Turkey. © 2007 European Society of Contraception.