What is the average age of Indonesian girls when they experience their first menstruation?

Every woman has a different menstruation cycle and onset age.

Based on data from the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI) in 2012 and 2017 compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), the majority of Indonesian women aged 15-24 surveyed reported experiencing their first menstruation at age 13. The breakdown shows 29.3% in 2012, decreasing to 27.7% in 2017.

The next most common ages were 12 and 14. In 2012, 22.7% of women reported their first menstruation at age 12. This figure increased to 26% in 2017.

Conversely, the percentage of women experiencing their first menstruation at age 14 was 24.1% in 2012, but decreased to 22.9% in 2017.

The youngest age, under 10 years old, was chosen by the fewest. The breakdown shows 1.7% in 2012, increasing to 2% in 2017.

Meanwhile, the oldest age, over 15 years old, experienced a significant decrease, from 16.5% in 2012 to 13.8% in 2017.

"In other words, there has been a shift towards an earlier age of first menstruation," wrote the BPS in their report, *Study of Fertility in Adolescents Aged 10-14 Years in Indonesia*, published on December 15, 2023.

Quoting Presser's research, BPS states that the age of first menstruation is considered an indicator of fertility that can influence the timing of conception in sexually active adolescents, or the time of sexual maturity, which will further influence socio-sexual behavior, such as dating and sexual intercourse.

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