Dr. Chheda – The average age of menstruation is 12, but that’s just an average. The range actually spans from 8 to 16 years old. Yes, menstruation can start as early as eight – surprising, but it happens. Why do we menstruate? It’s a full cycle of ovulation – your body preparing for potential pregnancy. When an egg isn’t fertilized, menstruation occurs. The whole point is that your body is getting ready to support a baby. People are saying that menstruation is starting at a younger age in these generations. This is true to a point, but when we talk about generations, we’re comparing from the 1700s to now, not just one generation to the next. Why is this happening? The key factor is nutrition. When your body realizes there are enough calories coming in to sustain another life, the process of puberty, ovulation, and menstruation will start. What I tell my family is: the faster your girl gets to 100 pounds, the earlier she will likely start menstruating. This doesn’t mean menstruation automatically starts at 100 pounds – it’s about the velocity of weight gain. If there’s enough calories going in where she’s gaining weight at a rapid pace, that signals to the body there’s enough nutrition to sustain another life, triggering the puberty process. If there’s a gradual rise to 100 pounds, menstruation will occur at its normal genetic time. Transcriptions from AI and may not be 100% accurate