FIGURE 3.14 Transition to adulthood is being stretched from both ends In the 1890s, the average time between a woman’s first menstrual period and marriage, which typically marked a transition to adulthood, was about 7 years. By 1995 in industrialized countries, that gap had widened to about 12 years (Guttmacher, 1994, 2000). Although many adults are unmarried, later marriage combines with prolonged education and earlier menarche to help stretch out the transition to adulthood.