CHAPTER ONE

1.0 HISTORY

Koma is a village located at about 5500 feet above see level on

Alantica Mountain in the outskirts of Jada Local Government

Area of Adamawa State. The village was discovered in 1986 by

a missionary Gabriel Barau who led the then Governor of old

Gongola state (from where Adamawa was created) the late

Brigadier General Yohanna Madaki. The Koma people are

mainly farmers and ever since the jihad of Usman Dan Fodio

they dwell in the mountain. Koma men are more reserved.

They would stay at a distance to size up the stranger in their

midst and would only come down to greet and ask him what his

mission is after being convinced that he wouldn’t harm them.

There are 5 major tribes in Koma village namely Fulani Vere

Koma Beyya Moma Bomni and Koma Damte. A primary and

secondary school (boarding) were built on the foot of the

mountain. There are also 3 health centres scattered round the

neigbouring villages namely Tentule Beti and Koma 3

Mosques 2 Churches and a district head house a police

outpost. Their market day is Sunday.

Menarche is the first menstrual period or first menstrual

bleeding of a girl due to psychological change mediated by

hormones. From both social and medical perspective it is often

considered the central event of female puberty as it signals the

possibility of fertility. Menarche occurs most frequently when a

young woman reaches 17% fat. The average age of menarche

in Britain is 12 years 6 months and about 12 years 8 months

over 2½ years earlier than it was in 1900. For a woman to

maintain a regular menstrual cycle the fat content of her body

must be 22% or more.

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods in women.

Primary amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual periods at

puberty when a girl normally begins menstruating. Secondary

amenorrhea refers to the lack of menstrual periods in woman

who have previously menstruated.

Amenorrhea is normal in pre-pubescent girls and in women who

are pregnant breastfeeding or menopause. Primary

amenorrhea may be linked to infertility caused by Turner’s

syndrome a generic disorder that prevents sexual maturity in

girls. It may be caused by delayed on set of puberty. Some

cases are associated with birth defects that cause the vagina or

uterus to develop improperly. Secondary amenorrhea may

result from a variety of factors. It may be caused by intensive

physical exercise including long distance running or ballet

dancing extreme weight loss disorders of the endocrine

system (such as tumors of the pituitary gland). An ovarian

disorder called Stein-Leventhal Syndrome (Polycystic ovary

syndrome) it is characterized by extremely irregular menstrual

cycle in which ovulation may not occur. This disorder usually

involves infertility. Secondary amenorrhea sometimes occurs in

the first few months a woman has stopped taking birth-control

pills this is called post pill amenorrhea.

Amenorrhea is often caused by psychological factor. Increased

psychological stress such as losing a partner losing a job or

change of occupation can upset the normal menstrual cycle for

a few months or more. Increased in psychological stress can

cause hormonal changes such as raised levels of cortisol and

prolaction which affect menstruation. Menstruation normally

return after the stress subsides.

However the duration of Post-Partum Amenorrhea (PPA) is the

period from the end of pregnancy (after birth / abortion /

miscarriage) to the beginning of menstruation that is waiting

time to resumption of menses. It is temporary infecondable

period. The attainment of first menstruation after delivering is

the termination of post-partum amenorrhea. There are eleven

key intermediate variables that affect natural fertility and are

categorized mainly under three heading viz. intercourse

conception and gestation variables. The demographic

biomedical and socio-economic factors identified explanatory

variables inflame fertility through the intermediate variables.

Post-partum amenorrhea is one of the conception variables and

considered as one proximate determinant which affect natural

fertility. The duration of post-partum amenorrhea can exert a

powerful fertility inhibiting effect for the reason that a large

proportion of the reproductive life spend in an amenorrhoeic

period. Post Partum amenorrhea is directly associated with age

of mother and her parity. It is highly correlated with

breastfeeding.

Education has been found inversely related with post-partum

amenorrhea and varied according to religion caste and ethnic

place of residence and socio-economic status of mother.

A number of studies here showed a declining trend in the

duration of Post Partum amenorrhea over time.

Duration of post-partum amenorrhea varies from community to

community some socio-economic and demographic

characteristics of mothers.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

To the observation of the researcher this study gives the

importance of knowing the exact age at menarche and the

duration of Post Partum amenorrhea both related to their

demographic importance. However only few studies have

been made in this regard because the country has not yet given

a serious thinking towards most of demographic aspect This is

essential to improving the quality of the human population.

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study is aimed at estimating the average ages of the

women at menarche. It also aims at estimating the average

fecund ability (using the data on first conception) and to find the

duration of Post Partum amenorrhea after various orders of

births: To establish possible relationship between age at

menarche and other demographic characteristics of the area

under study to determine the relationship between menarche

and post partum amenorrhea.

The findings of the study will give a new direction for

demographers biomedical and population scientists in

understanding the mechanism of population growth and its

impact on national development particularly in Nigeria.

1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is conducted within Koma Village in Jada Local

Government Area of Adamawa State of Nigeria. The findings

are therefore limited to the people of Koma Village. The study

will also be limited to available data and information provided by

the people at the time of conducting this study.