Delayed puberty epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Eiman Ghaffarpasand, M.D. [2]

The incidence of delayed puberty (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) is approximately 1-10 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide.The precise prevalence of delayed puberty is not known. The whole puberty disorders prevalence is about 3000 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide. Delayed puberty is a condition commonly seen in children under 15 years of age. Delayed puberty usually occurs in individuals of all races. A definite diagnosis of the mean age of puberty onset in any specific societies can help to reduce the effects of ethnicity on delayed puberty epidemiology. Boys are more commonly affected by delayed puberty (constitutional delay of puberty) than girls.

• The incidence of delayed puberty (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) is approximately 1-10 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide.
• Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is responsible for approximately 10% of delayed puberty in boys.
• Klinefelter’s syndrome (hypergonadotropic hypogonadism) accounts for 5-10% of delayed puberty in boys.^[1]

• The prevalence of delayed puberty is unknown.
• Prevalence of puberty disorders is about 3000 cases per 100,000 individuals worldwide.^[2]
• The prevalence of primary amenorrhea in the US is < 0.1%.^[3]

• The case-fatality rate of delayed puberty is approximately zero. There is no reported case of mortality due to delayed puberty.

• Delayed puberty is commonly seen in children under 15 years of age.

• Delayed puberty usually affects individuals of all races.
• Different races have different puberty onset ages; menarche occurs in African-American girls at age (12.2 yrs) earlier than White girls (12.9 yrs), which is because of body mass index (BMI) difference between races.^[4]
• A definite diagnosis of the mean age of puberty onset in any specific societiy can help to reduce the effects of ethnicity on delayed puberty epidemiology.

• Boys are more commonly affected by delayed puberty (constitutional delay of puberty) than girls.^[5]
• The boy to girl ratio is approximately 2 to 1 in constitutional delay of puberty.

• Although there is a difference between the age of puberty onset in developed and developing countries, epidemiology of delayed puberty is same.

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