Table 1.

Behavioral and health risks attributed to early or late timing of reproductive events

	Early	Late
Menarche	• Premature death4 • Breast and endometrial cancers5–7 • Depression8,12 • Cardiovascular disease6,9 • Obesity and metabolic syndrome6,10 • Early initiation of smoking6 • Early first sexual intercourse6,11 • Teenage pregnancy15	• Depression12 • Lower bone mineral density31–33
Menopause	• Cardiovascular and coronary diseases43 • Lower bone density41,42,44 • Osteoporosis41,42 • Premature death4,7,45	• Breast and endometrial cancers7,45 • Longer life expectancy7,45