Post-COVID-19 Trends in Precocious Puberty: A Cross-Sectional Survey from Chandrapur, Guwahati

Abstract

This study looked at the rise in Precocious Puberty (PP) among female adolescents in Northeast India following COVID-19. Early childhood age groups of girls were screened in a cross-sectional study taken across public schools in Chandrapur, Guwahati, Assam. Early pubertal beginning was found to be significantly prevalent via clinical, imaging, and hormonal exams. Early menarche came after pubarche and thelarche, which was the main clinical sign. Laboratory results showed high baseline and peak luteinising hormone levels, hence supporting a mostly central, gonadotropin-dependent cause. Crucially, participants with precocious puberty showed notable bone age advancement that portended permanent adult height deficits. Multivariate logistic regression found major environmental and lifestyle risk variables driving this trend, including childhood obesity, too much daily screen time, regular chemical sanitizer and triclosan exposure, and increased family stress. The study emphasizes an immediate requirement for routine school-based Tanner staging and body mass index screening since a majority of the afflicted females needed urgent intervention with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues to stop early epiphyseal closure. To reduce lifelong metabolic and psychological problems, public health initiatives have to enforce institutional restrictions on triclosan products, advise against too much digital screen time, and use national referral networks.