Medical Questions » Female Problems Questions » Question No. 392
| Question: | My daughter is 15 but has not started her periods. Is this reason for concern? |
| Answer: | In the seventeenth century, it was unusual for girls to start their periods until they were 16 or 17. Today, they may start at 12 or earlier, the change being due to the better diet, health and hygiene in the twentieth century, more rapid growth, and therefore faster maturation of the body.
The onset of periods in a girl can be estimated by the experience of her mother, sisters or cousins, but there may still be significant variations. The trend is continuing for periods to start earlier every generation.
By 15, you would expect breast buds to have developed and some eatly wisps of pubic hair to be present. If this is not the case your daughter should be checked by a doctor.
There are some medical conditions that can lead to a delay in the onset of periods. These include any severe illness earlier in life that may have slowed maturation, diseases of the ovaries or other glands, and some rare congenital disorders.
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