Effect of Early Menarche on Sexual Experience among Korean High School Girls

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of early menarche on sexual experience among high school girls in South Korea. Methods: The study sample was comprised of 16,286 high school girls. Using statistics from the 11th (2015) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: Among the girls, 5.8% reported early menarche. Early menarche was associated with sexual experience (Odds Ratio (OR), 5.27; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 4.11-6.77). Controlled for sociodemographic, emotional and health behavior characteristics, early menarche was associated with sexual experience (OR, 3.98; 95% CI, 3.04-5.21). Conclusion: The results indicate that early menarche predicts an increase in sexual experience among female adolescents. Therefore, health education programs and health policy for interventions to improve sexual health are required for girls who are expected to experience early menarche.