REACHING THE AGE OF ADOLESCENCE(Puberty)

ADOLESCENCE

Growth begins from day one when a baby is born.This period from birth to childhood is called infancy.The period of life,when the body undergoes changes ,leading to reproductive maturity is called adolescence.Boys and girls have sex organs but not developed enough to function .Sex organs starts functioning only when boys and girls reach adolescence .During adolescence certain secondary sexual characterstics also develops.This stage is referred to as the stage of maturity or puberty.

PUBERTY IN GIRLS

Though there is no clearly defined age at which puberty starts in girls ,in most girls puberty starts at the age of 11 or 12 years and is complete by the age of 17 or 18 years.In girls one particular hormone is from the pituitary gland simulates the ovaries to produce female sex hormones such as Estrogen and Progestron. Estrogen is responsible for for the production of eggs in ovaries and development of secondary sexual characterstics in females.In girls ,following sexual characterstics develop due to puberty:

• Hair grow in pubic region and extra hair in armpits.
• The mammary glands develoup and increases size of breasts.
• The voice becomes high pitched.
• Hips broaden and pelvic region widens
• Initiation of menstruation starts and ovaries start to release eggs.

PUBERTY IN BOYS 

In boys testosterone is responsible for development of sperm cells and secondary sexual characterstics .

• Hair grow on face and other parts of body like chest,armpits and in pubic region.
• The body becomes muscular .
• Voice becomes deeper due to thickening of vocal cords in larynx
• The penis and testes becomes larger and testes start to produce sperms.