Puberty and menarche.

The various factors that influence puberty and menarche reflect the total environment in which the youngster develops. These influences actually begin in intrauterine life and include genetics, hormones, and nutrition. During the prepubertal years the multifactorial influences on puberty include health, disease, family life, neuroendocrine integrity of the individual, and nltrition. In the female the culmination of the pubertal events is the occurrence of menarche.