Older mothers are more likely to need medical assistance in labour

The University of Cambridge study found women who start their periods early were more likely to require medical assistance in labour such as forceps, or a Caesarean section.

The effect was neutralized if these women had their first baby at an early age, but not for older mothers. The research, based on analysis of 3,739 first-time mothers, showed that the average age for the start of menstruation was 13. An earlier start was more common among shorter girls and those with a higher body mass index.

Just over one in four women who did not start their period until at least the age of 15 required medical assistance during labour, but for those who started menstruation from the age of 12 onwards the rate of medical assistance was closer to one in three.

Researcher Professor Gordan Smith stressed that while the age at which women started having periods showed little variation, the age at which they started a family did. He says, ‘The main significance of this study is not that menarche is usefully predictive of the risk of complications, but that the current finding sheds light on why advance maternal age at the time of first birth might be associated with increased risks.’