Menarche: A Missing Indicator in Population Health from Low-Income Countries

In this article, Sommer makes an important point that the age of menarche is overlooked as a key indicator in research and practice in low-income countries.As the author indicates, the absence of systematic national data collection is very much a missed occasion for trend analysis of the population, as well as a better appreciation of the inequities within the country.These data would also provide government officials, health-care providers, and researchers with valuable information on nutritional status and sexual and reproductive health.