Can height increase after 18 years in females – Dr. Anantharaman Ramakrishnan

This is a misconception that the height can increase after puberty. That is actually wrong. The growing ends of the bones, that is the metaphysis after the puberty process is over. This is under the influence of the sex hormone, that is under the influence of estrogen that is the epiphysis closes with the diaphysis during puberty and once this process is completed, then the growth cannot happen further in the long bones. In a girl who is 18 years of age, is 4 or 5 years after menarchy and there is hardly any chance that there can be further statural growth. So statural growth is something that we have to look at below 6 or 7 years of age. That is the time we have to look at the growth seriously. So monitor your child’s growth so that we can do something to improve the child’s height outcome. So make sure there is good nutrition, child is free of disease. Despite all this if there is still short stature, this is called idiopathic short stature, then we can try growth hormones in such children. But after puberty is complete, there is very less possibility of height increase.