RESUMEN
Menarche, the first menstrual period, is a significant life event with important cultural, social, and personal implications. After noticing that several girls in a rural pediatric practice reached menarche at young ages, the researchers conducted a qualitative case study to investigate when menarche occurs and factors that may be associated with menarche onset. Four of the total of seven cases reached menarche before the average age of 12.8 years and had mothers who started at later ages. All four also experienced significant stressors just prior to onset. Lack of generalizability and the small sample disallow for any significant findings. However, the findings do indicate that menarche occurs in rural girls as young as age 9, creating implications for nurses in the areas of assessment, client teaching/counseling, and future research.