Sexual maturation of schoolchildren with low socio-economic level from Rio Branco-AC

Resumen

The objective this study was to verify the schoolgirl sexual maturation in a public school from Rio Branco (AC). It was a longitudinal study for 3 consecutive years (2003 to 2005), with the same group of girls who studied at grades 5 or 6 in a school from Rio Branco (AC). The method proposed by Marshall and Tanner to evaluate beast and pubic. The age of menarche was obtained prospectively. The classification of sexual maturation was done according to Vitalle et al.. The nutritional status was evaluated by bone mass index according to NCHS data and the socioeconomic evaluation, by ABEP (2003) patterns. From 44 schoolgirls who completed the study, 39 (89%) were from middle-lower or lower socio-economic level; and 30 (68%) in 2003 and 21 (48%) were malnourished. In 2003, 35 (79%) had initiated the puberty and only 8 (18%) have presented menarche; while in 2005, 39 (89%) presented advanced or complete stages of sexual development and 37 (84%) menarche. The mean age of menarche was 12.7 + 0.7 years. This sample of girls of a public school from North Region of Brazil showed similar data of menarche in comparison from other national and international studies. The advanced puberty observed in some recent studies was not observed in this sample, probably due to the socio-economic level and the nutritional status without obesity.