Puberty and Body Change

What is puberty?

Puberty is the period when a person develops into sexual maturity. It is the stage of change from childhood to adulthood. This means that as a boy or girl, you experience both physical and emotional changes that make you ready for sexual reproduction (producing your own children). Some of the physical changes are growing taller, growing hair on some parts of your body and pimples on the face etc. The emotional changes include unexplained feeling of anger, happiness or sadness, increased need to spend time alone or with friends and developing sexual feelings and desires for someone else etc. Puberty usually happens during teen years, at about 8 years for girls and 11 years for boys, but it can begin earlier in both boys and girls and it’s normal. Some changes occurs in both boys and girls, however there are some changes that occurs in boys only and some changes occurs in girls alone

Puberty in girls

Most girls notice that their bodies start to change between the age of 9 and 16. Some girls start and end puberty earlier than others, these changes are normal. The changes are caused by
* Hormones (Oestrogen and Progesterone)
* Type of food you eat (nutrition)
* Heredity (genes from your parents).
Puberty usually ends around the age of 17 or 18, or later for some girls. During puberty
* Your breasts begins to grow bigger
* Your hips begin to widen
* Hair begins to grow under your armpits, slightly above your vagina area
* Your menstruation period begins.

Sperm production

Around the ages of about 11 and 16, you may begin sperm production known as spermache. You may release a whitish fluid from your penis called semen. This contains your sperm cells and helps them swim when released in the vagina during sex. Your first ejaculation can happen during a wet dream – where you release semen when you are asleep. You sometimes find a wet area on the bed and you haven’t urinated on the bed when you wake up. However this does not mean you have to start having sex.
( click here to know more about sexual activities). Sperm production process begins at puberty and continues throughout life for a man.
Click below to see how sperm production happens

Menstrual Periods

Around the ages of 9 and 16 years, your menstrual periods also called menses should start (click here to know more about your menstrual period). For most girls this happens around the age of 12. But it could start earlier like around 8 years. Periods usually begin about a year after the breast have started developing. During menstruation, some girls experience softness of the breast, pain just below the stomach etc, this is normal and is not a reason to start having sex. (click here to know more about sexual activities). No two girls are the same, this means that some girls start their periods earlier than others and the length of days also differs. The first menses is called menarche. Menstruation begins at puberty and ends at menopause, when a woman is no longer releasing eggs. Menstruation process occurs every 28 days, some girls have longer or shorter cycles. Menstruation flow lasts between 2 – 8 days, on average of 4 days.
Click here to know more on how menstruation happens

Menstruation process

i. At puberty, the brain sends out message to the ovaries to release eggs.
ii. The egg is released from the ovary (usually once in a month) during ovulation.
iii. The released egg travels through the fallopian tubes.
iv. The released egg could meet with a sperm in the fallopian tube
v. If there is no sperm the egg goes to the uterus (womb) to wait for sperm.
vi. If no sperm meets the egg after about 3-4 days waiting in the womb, it dissolves and leaves the body together with the lining of the uterus through the vagina during menstruation.

Mood changes

During puberty you can feel really happy one moment and sad the next. You start thinking more about everything around you, especially about yourself and others. Because your body is changing a lot, you may feel unsure of yourself. Puberty can make you feel lonely, because you might think you are the only person who feels the way you do. Don’t worry, you are not alone, it’s all part of growing up and everybody experiences this.

Thinking about sex

During puberty you want to know about everything especially about sex. You think about it more often and you can get a feeling of excitement or arousal in your body when you do. Some girls read about it, look at pictures and talk about it with friends. Others may want to try it out as well. If you feel you want to try it out you need to be ready and aware of what it entails (click to know more about sexual activities). You must take responsibility to protect yourself and your partner against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Puberty in boys

Most boys notice that their bodies start to change between the age of 9 and 15. Some boys start and end puberty earlier than others, these changes are normal. The changes are caused by
* hormones (Testosterone)
* Type of food you eat (nutrition)
* Heredity (genes from your parents).
Puberty usually ends around the age of 18 or 19, or later for some boys. During puberty * Your penis and testicles begins to grow bigger
* Your shoulders gets broader
* Hair begins to grow under your armpits, around your penis and testicles including on your face
* You experience wet dreams and sperm production begins .

Sperm production

Around the ages of about 11 and 16, you may begin sperm production known as spermache. You may release a whitish fluid from your penis called semen. This contains your sperm cells and helps them swim when released in the vagina during sex. Your first ejaculation can happen during a wet dream – where you release semen when you are asleep. You sometimes find a wet area on the bed and you haven’t urinated on the bed when you wake up. However this does not mean you have to start having sex.
( click here to know more about sexual activities). Sperm production process begins at puberty and continues throughout life for a man.
Click below to see how sperm production happens

Sperm production process

i. At puberty, your brain sends out message to the testicles to produce sperm.
ii. The sperm is produced in your testicles.
iii. The sperm travels or moves through the epididymis
iv. the sperm moves through the seminal vesicles where it mixes with fluid called semen
v. The sperm then moves through the vas deferens
vi. The sperm then leaves your body through the tip of your penis during sex or masturbation when you release/ejaculate.

Mood changes

During puberty you can feel really happy one moment and sad the next. You start thinking more about everything especially about yourself and others. Because your body is changing a lot, you can feel unsure of yourself. Puberty can make you feel lonely, because you might think you are the only person who feels the way you do. Don’t worry, you are not alone, it’s all part of growing up and everyone experiences this.

Thinking about sex

During puberty you want to know about everything especially about sex. You think about it more often and you can get a feeling of excitement or arousal in your body when you do. Some boys read about it, look at pictures and talk about it with friends. Others may want to try it out as well. If you feel you want to try it out you need to be ready and aware of what it entails (click to know more about sexual activities). You must take responsibility to protect yourself and your partner against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.