Tracking Ovarian Changes and Menstrual Cycle Patterns in Female Adolescents After Menarche

What this Trial Is About

This research investigates how ovarian shape and structure change during adolescence and relates these changes to menstrual cycle patterns, aiming to better understand reproductive health development. The study focuses on girls aged 9 to 17 years shortly after their first menstrual period, exploring how ovarian features and lifestyle factors like diet and sleep may predict regular or irregular menstrual cycles over two years. Participants will be followed in a prospective cohort design with four visits scheduled between 6 and 25 months after menarche. At each visit, they will undergo 3D ultrasound imaging of the ovaries and uterus, blood tests, physical measurements, and assessments of puberty stage, acne, and hair growth. They will also provide urine and stool samples and complete questionnaires on diet, physical activity, and sleep, though some procedures vary by site. Throughout the study, participants keep menstrual and medication diaries to track cycle patterns and treatments. Researchers will monitor ovarian size, follicle counts, hormone levels, body composition, sleep quality, diet, and gut microbiome diversity. The total participation period spans about two years, with careful safety and health assessments integrated to understand adolescent reproductive development.

Ovarian Morphology in Girls