Some mothers are experiencing serious anxiety because their daughters have started menstruating at a young age. As a result, some of them sought medical attention quickly and feared various incidents and consequences.
According to families interviewed by KirkukNow, some girls in Iraqi society have begun menstruating as early as nine-years-old, while the mothers recall they started between 13-14.
Gashaw Nader, a 43-year-old mother of two daughters, rushed her 12-year-old daughter to a growth and nutrition doctor at the age of eight when early signs of her first menstrual cycle, such as chest enlargement and sporadic body hair, appeared.
"It was very strange because she was very little. We faced a hard time. My daughter was very shy, and I wanted to understand what was happening... But Dr. Gasha said it was normal for girls to menstruate at a young age," Gashaw told KirkukNow.
"I still couldn't believe it. I thought maybe the bleeding was due to an infection."
Gashaw's disbelief stemmed from the fact that her eldest daughter did not start menstruating until she was 13 years old.
According to a study in the online journal PubMed, which focuses on public health, environmental, chemical, and biological research, the age of menstruation for girls has been decreasing. It went from 15 to 16 in the 1800s, to 14 in the 1900s.
"From 2000 to 2010, it was between 12.3 and 12.8 years, but in the past five years, 2020-2025, it has decreased to 11.9-12 years," the study stated.
Tanya Asso, one of the mothers who experienced anxiety when her daughter started menstruating at the age of 10, said: “My husband and I were very worried when she began her menstrual cycle.”
Doctors advise mothers not to worry about early menstruation, as the age at which girls menstruate has been decreasing for several years.
"The body's structure, fast food, plastic, the environment, and climate change are all contributing factors," Sumaya Ata Naqshbandi, a gynecologist and obstetrician, told KirkukNow.
The United Nations continues to encourage efforts to combat the widespread use of plastics. With 460 million tons of this harmful substance produced annually in various forms and materials, there is a risk that by 2050, the amount of plastic will exceed that of all the fish in the oceans.
Environmental expert Karzan Abdullah states that one of the main causes of premature puberty, especially in girls, and early menstruation is due to the use of plastic and plastic pollution. When BPA enters the body through food, drinks, or skin, it directly affects hormones.
BPA is an industrial chemical used in the production of plastics, including water bottles and food and beverage containers. This substance has been linked to potential health concerns, including endocrine damage and developmental problems.
"When this substance disrupts hormones, it mimics hormones like estrogen, signaling the body that it has enough estrogen and is ready for puberty, resulting in earlier puberty than usual," Abdullah explained.
Estrogen, also known as the female hormone, is highly sensitive to environmental pollution, and any disruption to this system can have significant and long-term effects on human health.
"Disruption of estrogen leads to other issues such as fertility problems in both men and women, and impacts fetal health," Abdullah added.
According to the study in the journal PubMed, "Exposure to plastics and chemicals is the second leading cause of premature menstruation in girls, following obesity, childhood obesity, and unhealthy eating habits.
Social, psychological, and family environmental stresses are the third cause, and diabetes is the fourth."
The study involved urine tests on girls experiencing premature menstruation.
Abdullah emphasized that while it may be challenging to completely eliminate the use of plastic from our lives, it is possible to reduce it.
"We can avoid storing water and food in plastic as much as possible, as it can lead to more reactions."
