Female Puberty Stages

Puberty is a stage in an individual's life when the body begins its transformation from childhood to adulthood. This is the period when secondary sex characteristics are formed and differences between male and female become more prominent. Though teenage is the time when the signs of puberty are seen in both boys and girls, the process of achieving puberty is totally different in both the sexes. Here, we will take a look at puberty in detail.

Puberty and Growth

Puberty marks a girl's transformation from a little girl to a woman. Though usually, the start of menstruation is believed to be the onset of puberty, it actually begins much earlier than that. However, the actual puberty age will not be the same for every girl, rather various factors including genetics, environment, ethnicity, nutrition and other social factors are said to affect puberty. Nevertheless, the average age at which puberty begins in females can range between 8-14 years. During this period, rapid development occurs in the girl's body which can give rise to various questions in the girl's mind. Here, we will try to understand the growth of the female body while she undergoes puberty.

Important Stages

Puberty begins when the pituitary gland in the brain secretes a hormone called FSH, which stimulates the ovaries to begin the development of estrogen in the body. With the production of estrogen, the secondary sex characteristics in the female body begins to develop. This can happen anytime between 8-14 years of age. The changes in the female body happen internally during the initial years and only gradually become visible externally. Let us look at the stages of puberty that all girls have to undergo.

Stage I
Though puberty in girls begin at the age of 8 or 9, most of the changes occur internally. When a girl reaches the age of 11 or 12, one of the first symptoms is seen i.e. breast development. During this stage, the breasts are called breast buds because the tissues are not fully developed. The pigmented area around the nipple which is called the areola becomes darker during this stage. Other than this, slight growth of pubic hair may also begin at this stage. A considerable change in the girl's height and weight can also be observed.

Stage II
The second stage is when the girl turns 12 - 13 years of age. During this time, the second symptom is seen, i.e. hair growth. Though the onset of pubic hair growth is seen in the earlier stage, it is at this level that it begins to turn thicker. Moreover, the size of the vagina also increases at this stage. Hair growth can also be seen at the armpits and the hair on the legs becomes thicker or darker.

Stage III
The third stage can be said to be at the age of 13 or 14 when the first menstrual period, also known as menarche occurs. Now, there is no fixed age for the periods to start and it can occur either before this stage or even after it. Ovulation may also begin at this stage, but it may take sometime till it becomes regular, i.e. maybe 2-3 years.

Stage IV
The growth of breast tissues increases at this stage as the nipple and the areola begin to protrude. Pubic hair become quite dense and coarse by this time and long and thick hair may also appear on the inner thighs. The girl continues to grow in height and also gain weight, especially on the upper arms, buttocks, breasts, thighs, pubis, etc. which is quite important, as the body is preparing itself for reproduction and childbirth.

Stage V
By this stage, which is between 15-17 years, the body attains full maturity. The height of the girl usually becomes stagnant at this stage, along with breast growth which attains adult size. Moreover, menstruation as well as ovulation become regular during this period. Apart from these physical changes, most adolescents may also have to face the problem of acne. Estrogen and progesterone which are produced by the body during puberty are mainly responsible for this because they make the skin oilier, thus giving rise to acne. Severe menstrual cramps are also another problem that teenage girls may have to undergo during this time. However, there are several ways with which they can be lessened or controlled.

These are some of the physical changes that occur in female body during puberty. Other than this, girls also undergo various emotional changes which are sometimes more difficult to handle than the physical ones. Making the girls understand this process as a normal stage of development will help them to handle it in a better way. Teenage years or adolescence are said to be crucial years where the girls are trying to understand themselves and the world outside in a new light. Proper support, understanding and guidance from parents during this time, will ensure that they become matured and successful individuals.