Puberty

• Puberty typically starts at ages 8–13 for females and about 9–14 for males, but it may vary from individual to individual
• Reproductive maturity refers to the physical capability of a person to reproduce, and puberty prepares a person for reproductive maturity
• Primary sex characteristics refer to organs specifically needed for reproduction, such as the vagina, uterus, and ovaries in females, and the penis and testes in males
• Secondary sex characteristics are the physical characteristics that develop during puberty, like the growth of armpit hair, and are driven by hormones
• Gonadarche refers to the development of the reproductive organs, or gonads, during puberty, with the testes in males and the ovaries in females
• Hormones have both an organizational role, priming the body for puberty, and an activational role, triggering behavioral and physical changes