PPT Slide

New clinical study

% Stage 2 or more 7.00 - 7.99 years

African-American European-American

Breast buds 15.4% 5.0%

Pubic hair 17.7% 2.8%

Herman - Giddens et al: Pediatrics 1997

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This study showed initial signs of puberty were much earlier than expected among African-Americans especially.

Critiques: Subjects were brought to clinics, not chosen at random.

Assessment was not done by state of art techniques.

Nevertheless, this is an example of early puberty described by general pediatricians throughout the U.S. Many professionals working with pre-teens will give this kind of example of young women they see.