Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Birth characteristics and age at menarche: results from the dietary intervention study in children (DISC)

  • Original paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To examine whether birth weight, birth length, and gestational age are individually associated with age at menarche.

Methods

Analyses were conducted using data from n = 278 female participants in the Dietary Intervention Study in Children (DISC). Age at menarche was prospectively collected as part of the original DISC investigation. DISC participants self-reported birth weight, birth length, and gestational age with assistance from their mothers and other records as part of the DISC06 Follow-up Study at ages 25–29. Linear regression was used to estimate the association of birth characteristics and age at menarche.

Results

Birth weight was positively associated with age at menarche (p ≤ 0.01) in multiple regression analyses after controlling for BMI-for-age percentile, race and DISC treatment group. No statistically significant relationships were detected between either length or gestational age and age at menarche.

Conclusions

Higher birth weight may be associated with a modest delay in age at menarche.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Herman-Giddens ME (2007) The decline in the age of menarche in the United States: should we be concerned? J Adolesc Health 40(3):201–203

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Anderson SE, Must A (2005) Interpreting the continued decline in the average age at menarche: results from two nationally representative surveys of U. S. girls studied 10 years apart. J Pediatr 147(6):753–760

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Parent AS, Teilmann G, Juul A, Skakkebaek NE, Toppari J, Bourguignon JP (2003) The timing of normal puberty and the age limits of sexual precocity: variations around the world, secular trends, and changes after migration. Endocr Rev 24(5):668–693

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ge X, Conger RD, Elder GH Jr (1996) Coming of age too early: pubertal influences on girls’ vulnerability to psychological distress. Child Dev 67(6):3386–3400

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Deardorff J, Gonzales NA, Christopher FS, Roosa MW, Millsap RE (2005) Early puberty and adolescent pregnancy: the influence of alcohol use. Pediatrics 116(6):1451–1456

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kaltiala-Heino R, Kosunen E, Rimpela M (2003) Pubertal timing, sexual behaviour and self-reported depression in middle adolescence. J Adolesc 26(5):531–545

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Berkey CS, Frazier AL, Gardner JD, Colditz GA (1999) Adolescence and breast carcinoma risk. Cancer 85(11):2400–2409

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Peeters PH, Verbeek AL, Krol A, Matthyssen MM, de Waard F (1995) Age at menarche and breast cancer risk in nulliparous women. Breast Cancer Res Treat 33(1):55–61

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Key TJ, Verkasalo PK, Banks E (2001) Epidemiology of breast cancer. Lancet Oncol 2(3):133–140

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ursin G, Spicer DV, Berrino F, Marlene G, Maureen H (2000) Breast cancer epidemiology, treatment, and prevention. Women & Health. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, pp 871–884

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kvale G, Heuch I (1988) Menstrual factors and breast cancer risk. Cancer 62(8):1625–1631

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Michels KB, Xue F (2006) Role of birthweight in the etiology of breast cancer. Int J Cancer 119(9):2007–2025

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ruder EH, Dorgan JF, Kranz S, Kris-Etherton PM, Hartman TJ (2008) Examining breast cancer growth and lifestyle risk factors: early life, childhood, and adolescence. Clin Breast Cancer 8(4):334–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Trichopoulos D (1990) Hypothesis: does breast cancer originate in utero? Lancet 335(8695):939–940

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kaijser M, Granath F, Jacobsen G, Cnattingius S, Ekbom A (2000) Maternal pregnancy estriol levels in relation to anamnestic and fetal anthropometric data. Epidemiology 11(3):315–319

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Mucci LA, Lagiou P, Tamimi RM, Hsieh CC, Adami HO, Trichopoulos D (2003) Pregnancy estriol, estradiol, progesterone and prolactin in relation to birth weight and other birth size variables (United States). Cancer Causes Control 14(4):311–318

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Petridou E, Panagiotopoulou K, Katsouyanni K, Spanos E, Trichopoulos D (1990) Tobacco smoking, pregnancy estrogens, and birth weight. Epidemiology 1(3):247–250

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Troisi R, Potischman N, Roberts J, Siiteri P, Daftary A, Sims C et al (2003) Associations of maternal and umbilical cord hormone concentrations with maternal, gestational and neonatal factors (United States). Cancer Causes Control 14(4):347–355

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Simmons D, France JT, Keelan JA, Song L, Knox BS (1994) Sex differences in umbilical cord serum levels of inhibin, testosterone, oestradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, and sex hormone-binding globulin in human term neonates. Biol Neonate 65(5):287–294

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Shibata A, Harris DT, Billings PR (2002) Concentrations of estrogens and IGFs in umbilical cord blood plasma: a comparison among Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian-American females. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87(2):810–815

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Cooper C, Kuh D, Egger P, Wadsworth M, Barker D (1996) Childhood growth and age at menarche. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 103(8):814–817

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Persson I, Ahlsson F, Ewald U, Tuvemo T, Qingyuan M, von Rosen D et al (1999) Influence of perinatal factors on the onset of puberty in boys and girls: implications for interpretation of link with risk of long term diseases. Am J Epidemiol 150(7):747–755

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Romundstad PR, Vatten LJ, Nilsen TI, Holmen TL, Hsieh CC, Trichopoulos D et al (2003) Birth size in relation to age at menarche and adolescent body size: implications for breast cancer risk. Int J Cancer 105(3):400–403

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. dos Santos Silva I, De Stavola BL, Mann V, Kuh D, Hardy R, Wadsworth ME (2002) Prenatal factors, childhood growth trajectories and age at menarche. Int J Epidemiol 31(2):405–412

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ibanez L, Jimenez R, de Zegher F (2006) Early puberty-menarche after precocious puberties: relation to prenatal growth. Pediatrics 117(1):117–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Adair LS (2001) Size at birth predicts age at menarche. Pediatrics 107(4):E59

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Terry MB, Ferris JS, Tehranifar P, Wei Y, Flom JD (2009) Birth weight, postnatal growth, and age at menarche. Am J Epidemiol 170(1):72–79

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Van Horn LV, Stumbo P, Moag-Stahlberg A, Obarzanek E, Hartmuller VW, Farris RP et al (1993) The dietary intervention study in children (DISC): dietary assessment methods for 8- to 10-year-olds. J Am Diet Assoc 93(12):1396–1403

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. DISC Collaborative Research Group (1993) Dietary intervention study in children (DISC) with elevated low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. Design and baseline characteristics. DISC Collaborative Research Group. Ann Epidemiol 3(4):393–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. DISC Collaborative Research Group (1995) Efficacy and safety of lowering dietary intake of fat and cholesterol in children with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The dietary intervention study in children (DISC). The writing group for the DISC collaborative research group. JAMA 273((18):1429–1435

    Google Scholar 

  31. U.S. Centers for Disease Control (2007) A SAS program for the CDC growth charts. (April 28, 2008); Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/growthcharts/resources/sas.htm

  32. Dorgan JF, Hunsberger SA, McMahon RP, Kwiterovich PO Jr, Lauer RM, Van Horn L et al (2003) Diet and sex hormones in girls: findings from a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 95(2):132–141

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Cooper C, Kuh D, Egger P, Wadsworth M, Barker D (1996) Childhood growth and age at menarche. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 103(8):814–817

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Tam CS, de Zegher F, Garnett SP, Baur LA, Cowell CT (2006) Opposing influences of prenatal and postnatal growth on the timing of menarche. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 91(11):4369–4373

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Bhargava SK, Ramji S, Srivastava U, Sachdev HP, Kapani V, Datta V et al (1995) Growth and sexual maturation of low birth weight children: a 14 year follow up. Indian Pediatr 32(9):963–970

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Ghirri P, Bernardini M, Vuerich M, Cuttano AM, Coccoli L, Merusi I et al (2001) Adrenarche, pubertal development, age at menarche and final height of full-term, born small for gestational age (SGA) girls. Gynecol Endocrinol 15(2):91–97

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Barraclough CA, Gorski RA (1961) Evidence that the hypothalamus is responsible for androgen-induced sterility in the female rat. Endocrinology 68:68–79

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Terasawa E (2006) Postnatal remodeling of gonadotropin-releasing hormone I neurons: toward understanding the mechanism of the onset of puberty. Endocrinology 147(8):3650–3651

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Troisi R, Potischman N, Roberts JM, Ness R, Crombleholme W, Lykins D et al (2003) Maternal serum oestrogen and androgen concentrations in preeclamptic and uncomplicated pregnancies. Int J Epidemiol 32(3):455–460

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Ibanez L, Dimartino-Nardi J, Potau N, Saenger P (2000) Premature adrenarche—normal variant or forerunner of adult disease? Endocr Rev 21(6):671–696

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Ong KK, Potau N, Petry CJ, Jones R, Ness AR, Honour JW et al (2004) Opposing influences of prenatal and postnatal weight gain on adrenarche in normal boys and girls. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89(6):2647–2651

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Opdahl S, Nilsen TI, Romundstad PR, Vanky E, Carlsen SM, Vatten LJ (2008) Association of size at birth with adolescent hormone levels, body size and age at menarche: relevance for breast cancer risk. Br J Cancer 99(1):201–206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Troisi R, Lagiou P, Trichopoulos D, Xu B, Chie L, Stanczyk FZ et al (2008) Cord serum estrogens, androgens, insulin-like growth factor-I, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 in Chinese and U.S. Caucasian neonates. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 17((1):224–231

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Koprowski C, Ross RK, Mack WJ, Henderson BE, Bernstein L (1999) Diet, body size and menarche in a multiethnic cohort. Br J Cancer 79(11–12):1907–1911

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Lin WS, Chen AC, Su JZ, Zhu FC, Xing WH, Li JY et al (1992) The menarcheal age of Chinese girls. Ann Hum Biol 19(5):503–512

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Elveleth PA, Tanner JM (1990) Worldwide variation in human growth. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  47. Olson JE, Shu XO, Ross JA, Pendergrass T, Robison LL (1997) Medical record validation of maternally reported birth characteristics and pregnancy-related events: a report from the Children’s Cancer Group. Am J Epidemiol 145(1):58–67

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. O’Sullivan JJ, Pearce MS, Parker L (2000) Parental recall of birth weight: how accurate is it? Arch Dis Child 82(3):202–203

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Zhang Y, Graubard BI, Longnecker MP, Stanczyk FZ, Klebanoff MA, McGlynn KA (2007) Maternal hormone levels and perinatal characteristics: implications for testicular cancer. Ann Epidemiol 17(2):85–92

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work described was supported by Grant Number R01CA104670 from the National Cancer Institute. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6120 Executive Boulevard, Suite 320, MSC 7236, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA

    Elizabeth H. Ruder

  2. Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 104 Chandlee, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Terryl J. Hartman

  3. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, 119-C Henderson Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Michael J. Rovine

  4. Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19111, USA

    Joanne F. Dorgan

Authors
  1. Elizabeth H. Ruder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Terryl J. Hartman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michael J. Rovine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Joanne F. Dorgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elizabeth H. Ruder.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ruder, E.H., Hartman, T.J., Rovine, M.J. et al. Birth characteristics and age at menarche: results from the dietary intervention study in children (DISC). Cancer Causes Control 21, 1379–1386 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9565-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9565-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation