First menstruation; the day everything changes

Mare Koren

14. 5. 2023, 21.05

Updated: May 14, 2023, 10:56 p.m

If we ask you about your first month’s laundry, many of you will have to search your memory hard, and some of you won’t be able to remember the exact age. Let us console you that you are not the only one, but it is still highly recommended to know when you got your first period. Why? Because the latest research shows that the date of the first period can predict a lot of disease risks.

Type 2 diabetes

Women who menstruate before the age of twelve have a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes – that is, the type that develops over the years and is the result of a decrease in sensitivity to insulin or a lack of it. The study that found this link involved 4,600 middle-aged women, and found that those who started menstruating early were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. The research leader explains that this is because early menstruation is thought to promote insulin resistance.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is increased blood pressure and high protein content in the urine during pregnancy, which can be the cause of a subsequent stroke, i.e. death in pregnancy. The causes of preeclampsia are not yet known, but it is known that women who had their first period before the age of twelve are much more prone to it.

Heart diseases

According to the study, which included as many as 1.3 million women, 13 is the most ideal age for the first period if you want to avoid heart disease. Women who got their first period at this age are said to be the least susceptible to heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. The greatest risk is borne by women who got their first period at the age of ten or less, or at 17 and over. At these ages, the risk of heart disease increases by as much as 27 percent, high blood pressure by 20 percent, and stroke by 16 percent.

Bone density

The first menstruation is also said to be important for determining the risk of developing osteoporosis in later years. From the testimonies of women before and after menopause, the researchers found that women who had their first period very late (at 17 years or later) have lower bone density, which means a higher risk of fractures and the development of osteoporosis in old age.

Allergies

Believe it or not, menstruation is also associated with the risk of developing allergies. Indeed, research has shown that eczema or atopic dermatitis, asthma and rhinoconjunctivitis (commonly known as hay fever) are associated with early puberty (and consequently early menstruation).