Puberty

 What happens to males during puberty?

When the testes and accessory glands are mature, the body can produce semen. Secondary sex characteristics also start to appear. 

• The voice changes and becomes deeper.

 • Hair appears on the face, in the pubic area and under the arms. 

• The body grows more quickly. The skeleton also becomes wider and muscles grow stronger. Males continue to grow in height for several more years.

What happens to females during puberty?

When ovaries are mature, they can produce fully developed ova. An ovum is released approximately every 28 days. This is called the menstrual cycle. Secondary sex characteristics also appear.

 • Breasts develop and grow, and hips become rounder. 

• Hair appears in the pubic area and under the arms. 

 • Females grow rapidly in height until puberty. They then continue to grow, but more slowly. Their muscles also grow stronger.

What happens during the menstrual cycle?

The menstrual cycle happens at regular intervals between the ages of 12 and 50 approximately. There are three stages to the menstrual cycle. 

1. Ovulation. Normally only one ovary releases an ovum. The ovum travels along one of the Fallopian tubes until it reaches the uterus. If the ovum is fertilised by a spermatozoon, it implants* in the wall of the uterus.

2. Preparation of the uterus. For about sixteen days after ovulation, the walls of the uterus thicken, growing a dense lining of blood vessels.

3. Menstruation. If the ovum is not fertilised, it does not implant in the uterus. After the lining has finished growing, it is eliminated from the body, along with some blood. This process lasts for three to six days and is commonly called ‘a period’.