How soon after menstruation do girls stop growing?

Last updated on October 17, 2020

Question:

How soon after menstruation do girls stop growing?

Answer:

It is difficult to answer this question because there are too many factors involved. The average girl begins menstruating at the age of 13, but it is considered normal to start as early as age 9 or as late as age 16. Menstruation usually starts about two years after puberty sets in, but genetics, your eating habits, and how heavily you exercise can delay the start a few months or for several years.

Also about half of all girls start their periods in stage 2 of Tanner’s stages of development (the stage just before their rapid growth) and the rest start their periods in stage 4 (the stage after their rapid growth.

Most girls reach their full height between the ages of fifteen and sixteen; but if they started puberty early, they may reach their full height earlier, or if they started puberty late, they may reach their full height later. Even after reaching her full stature, a girl may continue to develop as her breast and hips grow to their final sizes. Even after external growth stops, development continues internally for several years.