Girls in the United States are beginning menstruation at increasingly younger ages — a shift that has drawn growing concern from scientists and public health experts. Recent research analyzing data from more than 71,000 participants shows that both early menarche(before age 11) and very early menarche (before age 9) are becoming more common across the country. This trend appears to be most pronounced among racial minorities and lower-income groups, suggesting that environmental and social inequalities may be influencing biological development. In addition to earlier onset, the study also found that girls are taking longer for their menstrual cycles to become...
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