Precocious puberty and permissive partnering: Age at menarche and risky sexual partnerships in adulthood

PURPOSE: This study examined the association of menarcheal age and subsequent sexual partnering among American women aged 21-44 years from the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth. METHODS: Menarcheal age was defined as "early" (≤11 years of age), "average" (12-14), or "late" (≥15). Sexual partnering was defined as being concurrent, serial monogamist or monogamist in the previous year. Polytomous logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the association between age of menarche and sexual partnering. Mediation, subpopulation and stratified analyses were also conducted. RESULTS: About 6% reported concurrent partnerships and 4% serial monogamy. Age of menarche was not associated with subsequent concurrent sexual partnering (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)_early: 1.09; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.57-2.09; aOR_average: 1.13; 95% CI: 0.64-1.99) or serial monogamy (aOR_early: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.41-1.38; aOR average: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.39-1.29). Stratified analysis by age at interview did not influence the association between early menarche and concurrency (Among 21-30 year olds: aOR_early: 1.82; 95% CI: 0.74-3.50; among 31-44 year olds: aOR_early: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.34-1.80) or between menarche and serial monogamy (Among 21-30 year olds: aOR_early: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.26-1.75; among 31-44 year olds: aOR_early: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.37-2.12). A subanalysis among currently unmarried women did not alter this relationship. Age at sexual debut did not mediate the age at menarche-sexual partnering relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Early menarche is not a risk factor for sexual partnering in adulthood. However, menarche provides an opportunity for education that can aid young women to delay sexual debut and limit number of partners.