Early Puberty in Girls: According to new research, antibiotics given in childhood increases the risk of early puberty in girls. Know what the shocking statistics say.
Early Puberty in Girls: New research has given important information on how the medicines given to girls in childhood can affect them in the future. Recently, a study presented at the joint conference of the European Pediatric Endocrinology and European Endocrinology Society found that girls who were given antibiotics in the first three months of childhood are more likely to reach puberty early. Know the shocking statistics according to this research...
What is early puberty?
Early puberty, which is medically called central precocious puberty (CPP), is a condition when sexual development begins in children before the normal age. This condition is seen in girls before the age of 8 years. Actually, girls are more prone to this, while this condition is less common in boys.
What does research say?
Researchers from Hanyang University Guri Hospital and Hanyang University Medical Center in South Korea monitored nearly 322,000 children aged 0 to 12 months until they grew up, and the state of puberty was observed for 9 years for girls and 10 years for boys.
Shocking statistics
Girls who were given antibiotics before the age of 3 months had a 33% higher risk of early puberty.
This risk increased to 40% in girls who took antibiotics before the age of 14 days.
Girls who were given 5 or more different antibiotic classes had a 22% higher risk of early puberty.
Why does this happen?
The study did not directly confirm the cause, but scientists believe that antibiotics affect the intestinal microbiome. This microbiome plays an important role in the hormonal development of children. When this balance is disturbed, it is possible that puberty may start early due to hormonal imbalance in the body.
Giving antibiotics to small children may be necessary at times, but giving medicines for a little fever or cough is not appropriate. This research tells what the benefits of treatment and the harms that may occur in the future. In the coming times, this research can make even bigger revelations.
