The new menstruation: Girls are getting their periods earlier and less regularly
Menstruation is a critical indicator of health. Whether and when someone with a uterus gets their period — for the first time, and throughout their life — can reflect not only their reproductive health, but their risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, spontaneous abortion, and premature death.
That also makes menstruation a useful measure of population health. And digital tools for clinical research are beginning to shed light on just how significantly periods are changing over time.
