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The entry into puberty exposes female African adolescents to a variety of reproductive and socioeconomic risks. This paper studies the consequences of early menarche in a sample of adolescent women across seven sub-Saharan African countries. Exploiting random variation in the timing of the menarche, we find that women who experience menarche earlier than others also experience earlier sexual intercourse and childbearing. We further find that a lower age of menarche results in an earlier usage of contraceptives, a decrease in school attendance, and a higher probability of having left the parental home and being married. Despite their earlier entry into reproductive life, we find no evidence that women who experience menarche earlier express different desired fertility than women who experience menarche later.
