Age at menarche, socio‐sexual behavior, and fertility

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Abstract
The relationship between age at menarche and fertility is examined from 2 perspectives. Age at menarche is regarded as a crude indicator of the timing of fecundity that may affect the timing of conception among those sexually active; and age at menarche is regarded as a crude indicator of the timing of sexual maturation that may influence the timing of socio-sexual behavior, namely dating and sexual intercourse. The data are drawn from a survey of New York City [USA] women who recently had their 1st child. Age at menarche as an indicator of fecundity apparently is not a good predictor of the timing of the 1st birth when controlling for age at 1st sexual intercourse. Looking only at initial noncontraceptors the relationship is stronger. Age at menarche, viewed as an indicator of the timing of sexual maturation seems to have some influence on the timing of dating but only for Blacks. For both races, age at 1st date is related to age at 1st sexual intercourse.

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