Biological Factors Affecting the Fertility of Santal Women of Lakhimpur District, Assam

Biological factors, particularly age at menarche and age at menopause vary from population to population and society to society. The age at menarche can be used as a quantitative and objective measure of reproductive physiology as it partially reflects the biological capacity to reproduce. Variation of age at menarche of 24 different countries is reported to be ranged between 10 to 18 years (Shah 1958; Bhasin and Bhasin 2000). Secular trend in age at menarche is determined by the scholars namely, Tanner and keeffe (1967), Hoshi and Kouchi (1981) and Barry (1988). The age at which women have their first child is also a vital event which has important consequences on the demographic character of the population (Rajaretnam 1990). Age at marriage determines the reproductive life span of women. Early marriage is associated with early child bearing. It has several negative social and health consequences. It is directly related to rapid growth of population. The age at which a girl is given to marriage depends on social values. (Sarkar, 1970; Ghosh, 1967; cf. Mutharayappa, 2002).