Differences of "Menarche" Viewed from Geographical Location
Nina Sutresna, Mona Fiametta Febrianty and Lilis Komariyah
Faculty of Health and Sport Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jln. Setiabudhi No.229, Bandung 40154,
Indonesia
Keywords: Menarche, highland, lowland.
Abstract: This research is based on the assumption that geographical location will affect the incidence of "menarche"
in a girl. Thus, the main objective of the research was to find out the differences in the incidence of "menarche"
among female students in the highlands and lowlands. This research is a descriptive research. The number of
samples was 255 people, consisted of 5-8 grade students aged 10-14 years in Lembang, Kuningan and Cirebon
West Java. The sampling technique used was random technique. The research results showed that there were
menarche differences between students in the highlands and lowlands. Menarche of the schoolgirls studying
and living on highlands generally occurs above the age of 11 years, while on the lowlands, the percentage of
menarche occurrence experienced at the age of 11 years. Menarche experienced by girls at the age of 10 years
is more common to happen to the girls living on the lowlands, while menarche delay occurred to schoolgirls
living more on the highlands than on the lowlands.
1 INTRODUCTION
Achievement sports is menstruation. The menstrual
cycle is considered to be a disruption to either
participating in the sports process or during
menstruation that tends to impact on emotional
changes and in motion stimuli changes.
Menstruation occurs to women starting at puberty
age and marking a woman's ability to conceive a
child. The first menstruation is called menarche. Not
until a girl enters the puberty age, does the egg begin
functioning and a process called the menstrual cycle
occurs. Menstruation usually begins between the ages
of 10 and 16, depending on various factors, including
the girls’ health, nutritional status, and relative body
weight to the body's height. The average length of the
cycle can vary in one girl during different times of
life, and even from month to month depending on a
variety of things including her physical, emotional,
and nutritional health. Under normal circumstances,
menarche (first menstruation) begins with a
maturation period that can take 2 years.
Based on the preliminary observation result, with
the help of a P.E teacher in some primary schools, it
is known that students who experience menarche tend
not to follow the P.E lessons and even other lessons
with the sick reason for up to three days.
Psychological changes occur in these students,
making them quieter, easily irritated and less active in
learning. The condition is very reasonable because
most students are not ready to face the menarche
period. This indirectly becomes part of the task of the
P.E teachers to help restore the psychological state
that occurs due to menarche and provide a correct
understanding of it.
An earlier menarche period will have an impact
on the emotional and psychological instability of
adolescents who are not ready to face the menarche.
The consequences arising from unpreparedness have
an impact on changes in adolescent behavior patterns
that tend to be more introvert, shy or shock.
Adolescents who are having menstruation are
required to protect themselves from behaviors that
can be new issues such as promiscuity. Late
information about menstruation or menarche is feared
to adversely affect children either psychologically or
physically.
This research is aimed to study how big the
differences of geographical location can affect
menarche experienced by the pre-teenager. The
connection between temperatures and geographical
condition is an important part in determining samples.
Research on the effect of temperatures or
geographical location on the coming of menarche will
494
Sutresna, N., Febrianty, M. and Komariyah, L.
Differences of "Menarche" Viewed from Geographical Location.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sports Science, Health and Physical Education (ICSSHPE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 494-498
ISBN: 978-989-758-317-9
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

provide complete picture both for parents and for
educational institution to address to menarche so that
the negative impacts that occur can be anticipated
especially when it is related to sports activities.
1.1 The Essence of Menarche
Menarche period is a very important period for a
young woman as a phase toward maturity. As
educators, we must certainly pay attention to the
significance and importance of having understanding
about menarche so that the learning of motion or sport
can be adjusted. For sports coaches, understanding of
menarche will have an impact on the preparation of
the right training materials so that students, especially
athletes still excel and practice maximally.
A broader understanding of menarche for
educators will encourage the process of improving
training materials so as not to endanger female
participants in the future as indicated by Boyke's
(2010; 20-22; Zaichkowsky; 1995; 55-79) concluded
that, there is no correlation between menstruation that
was undergone by women athlete toward running and
long-short swimming achievement.
Menstruation is a natural thing that occurs in
adolescent girls. Sutresna (2012: 71) described the
meaning of menstruation. It is a process of releasing
the outermost part of the uterine wall that causes
bleeding, because eggs that have been ripe in the
womb of women are not fertilized. In general, early
menstruation (menarche) occurs at the age of 11-14
years. Menarche period is the most important period
in the life of young women. Menarche's time is full of
emotional, attitude and psychological changes in
teenagers. Physical and psychological changes appear
to accompany the menarche period.
Menarche period is a child's growth moment
toward the adolescent phase. Adolescence is
characterized by the maturity of sexual function and
the achievement of adult body shape that occurs due
to the maturity of endocrine function. Yeung et al
(2005: 118) states that: "Menarche, the first
menstruation, is an important transition event in the
female life cycle. Menstruation is part of the
developmental cycle toward maturity as an adult
woman. Menarche is part of the signs of growth
toward adulthood and is a transition from children to
adolescence. Adolescence is a transitional period as
Seifert and Schulz (2007: 220) explain that:
"Furthermore, these transitions also have a potential
for converging on a single point in time in the child's
life, and the interaction of these transitions may have
profound consequences, positive and negative, for the
child and on his or her psychosocial development and
achievement in school ".
1.2 Constraints, Behavioral Changes
and Factors Affecting Menarche
Teens, who are having menarche, experience a
number of physical and psychological changes.
Physical symptoms are such as breast pain, stomach
cramps due to contraction of the uterus muscles,
nausea, abdominal bloating, stomach cramps, back
pain, joint pain, achy and neck tension, headache,
acne, irregular heartbeat and pounding, shortness of
breath. Psychological symptoms are such as changes
in behavior / personality such as over sensitive, easily
irritated or angry, anxious, easy to cry, uncomfortable
mood, fatigue, depressed, lack of confidence,
nervous, confused, and difficult to concentrate,
sleeping disorders, and changing sexual mood.
Psychological and physical changes are experienced
by adolescents who are having menarche.
Menarche is part of puberty for adolescent girls.
Seifert and Schulz (2007: 199) explain that, pubertal
development and the transition from middle or
elementary school to junior high may present
problems for some preadolescents. At the time of
having menarche, teenagers generally consider
themselves dirty or depressed psychologically due to
lack of understanding of events that occur especially
teenagers with minimal understanding of
menstruation. Dasgupta and Sarkar (2008: 479)
explain that, Mother was the first informant (37.5
percent girls) regarding menstruation, followed by
friends. More than 85 percent girls believed that
menstruation is a physiological process.
Community attitudes affect adolescent behavior
in facing menarche. Dasgupta and Sarkar (2008: 479)
states that: Menstruation and its practices are
associated with taboos and sociocultural restrictions
resulting in ignorance of knowledge about hygiene
health practices”. Furthermore, Fingerson (2005: 94)
explain more about menstruation to the society: In US
dominant culture, and indeed in most cultures,
menstruation is seen as dirty, unpleasant, messy and
overalls a nuisance. For example, Lee (1994) finds
that women remembering menarche said it made
them feel dirty, unclean, ashamed and even fearful.
Chaturvedi and Chandra (Yeung et al (2005: 120)
that: 'Menstrual myths and indigenous practices are
still common in some countries For example, a
menstruating Indian woman is considered as impure
or unholy social activities. "Youth and community
understanding of menarche affects their attitude and
behavior towards menarche.
Differences of "Menarche" Viewed from Geographical Location
495

Dasgupta and Sarkar (2008: 479) explain that
almost all women whom they studied have not
understood the processes and practices to maintain
their body's health and reproductive tools during the
time of menstruation, as stated, regarding practices,
only 18 girls used sanitary pads during menstruation
while mostly used old cloth pieces. Cleaning of
external genitalia was satisfactory in case of 136 girls
(frequency of cleaning of external genitalia is two or
more than two times a day). For cleaning purpose,
more than 95 percent girls use both soap and water.
Regarding method of disposal, 118 girls reused cloth
pieces and 92 girls properly disposed the cloth pieces
or sanitary pads. For restriction practices, only 15
percent of girls did not practice any restrictions. Out
of the rest 136 girls, 96 did not attend any religious
occasions, 68 did not eat certain foods (such as sour
food, banana, radish and palm), 58 did not play and
46 girls did not perform any household chores.
In general, women who do not understand how to
deal with menstruation will develop positive
creativity and body response in order to reach
physical and psychological balance as stated by
Fingerson (2005: 91) that: “Girls’ bodies are often
constructed negatively and passively in their
dominant cultures, but at the same time, girls may
collectively construct menstruation and the body in
creative way”.
Menarche is part of the phase toward sexual
maturity and lasts for some time. Beless et al (2009:
703) explains that: “Sexual maturation is an important
life event for every human individual”. Sexual
maturity is characterized by physical changes,
hormonal release, changes in body shape according to
the typical body of a person. Golub et al., 2008; Stice,
Presnell, and Bearman, 2001 (Belles et al., 2009;
Freud, 1998) emphasized the importance of hygiene
measures at the time of menstruation, ignorance of
hygiene impact on behavior and cancer as described:
‘It is known, for example, that an early menarche
increases the probability of breast cancer, affective
disorders, and risk behavior’.
The normal development of menarche period for
teenagers in general has no impact on psychological
or physical changes. Basically, the arrival of
menarche is difficult to determine, because people
have different dynamics and life. Golub (Yeung et al,
2005: 118) confirms that: ‘Unlike other gradual
pubertal changes, such as breast development and
pubic hair growth, menarche usually occurs suddenly
and without precise predictability. Delayed or early
menarche period will affect the psychological
development of adolescents. This is explained by
Nelles et al (2009; miller, 1998) that: “Although
sexual maturation is an indispensable part of natural
development, premature sexual development can
have serious and sometimes negative consequences
for physical and mental health”
1.3 Menarche and the Environment
The development and dynamics of the environment,
especially pollution, are believed to have caused the
acceleration of menarche based on the research
conducted by Blanck et al., 2000; Parent et al., 2003
(Belles et al 2009:704) that:’ Several physical factors
have been identified so far that are considered to be
responsible for an acceleration of sexual
development, such as increasing environmental
pollution’.
Other factors affecting the accelerated
development of menarche are the family
environment, socioeconomic status, marital status of
the family. As Ellis explains (Belles et al. 2009: 704):
In particular, the family environment appears to have
a substantial influence on the onset of the sexually
reproductive phase of life’. A low socioeconomic
status of the family, for instance, is associated with a
precocious menarche. However, because
socioeconomic status is correlated with numerous
factors (e.g., caloric intake or access to health care),
it is difficult to determine a specific relationship
between socioeconomic status and age at menarche.
Children who have an active interaction in a
family environment have slower sexual maturity than
children with low interactions with fathers as
described in the research. Bates (Belles et al., 2009:
704) said: “Reported that the more time fathers spend
with their daughters and the more positive their
dyadic interaction was during the very early years of
life, the more delayed sexual maturation was several
years later”
In general it can be concluded that the
environmental conditions associated with the child's
social psychology with the family affect the menarche
cycle. Another factor that significantly affects
menarche associated with caloric intake, food or
access to health is the socioeconomic status of the
family.
2 METHODS
To obtain the data in question, various studies were
conducted, derived both from theoretical studies and
from field empirical data. Theoretical sources as the
basis for the frame of thought in the study are the
main references that need to be revealed. The process
ICSSHPE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sports Science, Health and Physical Education
496

of data extracting and research procedure used
descriptive method with survey analysis technique
(Sugiyono, 2010: 11), Samples are taken randomly
(Ridwan and Kuncoro, 2008: 43) Information and
data of menarche incidence experienced by female
students in lowland area were represented by SDN
Langensari Lembang, SMP Mekarwangi and SDN
Kuningan, while on the highlands, data were
extracted from SDN and SMP students in Cirebon
City. The focus of information relating to physical
profiles is explored through the variety of questions
about the onset of menstruation, the pattern of family
life, daily activities, economic circumstances, etc.
Extraction of menstrual state data is directed at two
things namely 'menarche delay and menstrual
dysfunction that follow'.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Information about menarche events is as follows; out
of 121 respondents of schoolgirls on the lowlands,
114 girls (94.2%) have experienced "menarche", and
7 female students (5.8%) have not experienced
menarche. On the highlands, out of 134 respondents,
122 female students (91%) have experienced
menarche, and 12 female students (9%) have not
experienced menarche. In detail, the beginning age of
menarche listed in the following table.
Table 1: Menarche on the highlands and lowlands.
Age
Highlands
Lowlands
Number
Percentage
Total
Percentage
10
years
2
1,5%
18
14,9%
>10
up to
<11
27
20%
77
63,6%
>11
up
to<12
68
50,8%
8
6,6%
<12
up to
<13
12
9%
8
6.6%
>13
up to
14
13
9,7%
3
2.5%
Not
yet
12
9%
7
5,8%
Total
134
100%
121
100%
Figure 1: Menarche by age.
Referring to the tables and graphs of menarche
events on high and lowland areas, it can be concluded
that students who experienced menarche in the
lowlands mostly experienced by students aged 10 to
11 years of 77 students (63%), while on the highland,
the most menarche was experienced by the students
aged 11 to 12 years of age of 68 people (50.8%), 2
students (1.5%) on the highlands have had menarche
at 10 years old, on the lowlands it was experienced by
18 people (14.9%), as many as 12 (9%) have not
experienced menarche even though they are 14 years
old, while in lowland 7 people (5.8%).
Other data which were also extracted related to the
effect of menarche on student behavior, lifestyle,
daily activities, and response and interaction with the
environment are as follows;
 The effect of menarche on the behavior and
obstacles faced by students. In general,
menstruation affects student’s behavior. At the
time of the incident, generally female students
feel embarrassed, depressed, scared and cry.
Other symptoms include physical disturbance
like: discomfort, abdominal pain, dizziness,
irritability, insomnia and back pain. Confusion
in facing menarche is experienced by more than
half of the respondents from both high and low
areas.
 Differences in lifestyle and daily activities.
Students in the lowlands follow many activities
such as courses and sports activities in the club.
While students in the highlands generally spend
more time playing around the house. Lowland
nutrient intake is better than that of the
highlands. The physical growth of schoolgirls in
the lowlands is faster.
 Response and interaction with the environment.
At the time of menstruating, students in
highland areas are more introvert. They lack
access to correct information about health and
menstruation. Feelings of embarrassment make
Differences of "Menarche" Viewed from Geographical Location
497

students in highland areas feel no need to reveal
it to friends. 73% said they did not tell anyone
and 23% said close friends knew about the
incident. In lowland areas, 81% of students
thought that other people do not need to know
about the incident because it is a personal
matter. 19% said that they told their close
friends. 78% of students in the highlands
claimed to have menarche information from
parents and the remaining 22% obtained
information from others such as older sisters. In
lowland areas, only 49% asked about menstrual
problems to their parents, the remaining 51%
obtained information from older sisters, female
cousins, and friends. Information disclosure
allows students in the lowlands to obtain
information about menarche from more sources
such as books, internet, friends, teachers,
relatives or girlfriends.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Significant differences in the incidence of menarches
in highland and lowland areas are affected by
nutrition intake, family economic conditions,
different activities and lifestyles. Different lifestyle
and physical and psychological development of
students in both high and low areas are recognized to
have different effects on the menstrual cycle.
Physically, students who experience early menarche
tend to grow faster because the adult process comes
faster. Almost all students in both high and lowland
areas experience uncomfortable symptoms like;
abdominal pain, dizziness, irritability, insomnia, and
waist pain at the time of early menstruation. Attitudes
in dealing with menarche are generally the same but
the amount of information that students have in the
lowland area is bigger. This is due to the availability
of information such as the internet, books on health
and the scope of society that is more open to
menarche problems.
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